A law passed in April last year in Spain aimed to ensure that every town hall would publish a count of buildings containing asbestos and schedule their gradual removal. The regulation also required reporting of a planning calendar for phased asbestos abatement. Any construction completed before 2002 could still involve asbestos, since that year marked the nationwide ban on production, use, and sale of asbestos. Both the census and the calendar were meant to be public, and they were to be forwarded to the competent health, environmental, and labor authorities of the autonomous communities, which would then inspect and verify that debris was removed and that an authorized administrator supervised the process.
Despite the clear framework, the law has not been fully implemented. It is estimated that numerous instances persist, particularly in Catalonia. The withdrawal of asbestos is projected to cost Catalonia alone well over €100 million, based on multiple estimates. By 2030, estimates suggest that more than 85% of these illegal materials will have reached the end of their useful life, posing risks to public health, workers, and the environment due to their carcinogenic nature. The Generalitat has approved the 2021-2023 regulatory plan and the 2021-2026 Catalan Occupational Safety and Health Strategy, with a goal to remove asbestos from all public buildings by 2028 and to complete the broader removal by 2032.
Economic consequences and fines
Satellite technology has emerged as an effective tool to map uralite materials across municipalities that are legally required to maintain inventories but lack complete records. Telespazio Iberica, the Italian multinational specializing in processing satellite data, notes that removing uralite from all roofs would cost millions. They promote remote sensing services that promise to speed up the process and reduce costs. There are not yet reliable studies proving that asbestos remains on roofs in rural Spain, though industry sources estimate removal costs from the ground for a 50 square meter roof at between €1,000 and €2,500, varying by region and building features. An additional €900 to cover waste transport is typical, bringing a lower bound of around €3,500 for many family homes. A simple roof replacement can run about €70 per square meter, with additional costs after removal. For instance, replacing a 2,000 square meter roof on a Madrid school reportedly exceeded €435,000, or €217 per square meter, according to parliamentary figures.
Telespazio uses AI to detect uralite roofs from space
Media showing Telespazio’s satellite image analysis highlights the red map of asbestos detection. The technology hinges on analyzing space photographs, where the best images can offer resolutions down to 30 centimeters in layered views and with spectral signatures that help identify roof materials. Telespazio’s commercial director, Abraham Olivares, asserts that an accurate asbestos map for a mid-sized town can be produced in two to three weeks at reasonable cost.
L’Hospitalet and Madrid: examples of asbestos on homes
In the southern city of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Telespazio identified more than 3,000 buildings with asbestos. In Madrid’s Orcasitas district, asbestos was found on the roofs of at least 3,750 homes. The algorithm’s error rate is around 3%, and the technology can distinguish between curved ceramic tiles and other materials; however, differentiating corrugated galvanized sheets from fibercement sheets remains challenging. After satellite analysis, site visits are needed to confirm observations. Removing asbestos from homes is complex and often requires an aqueous solution to prevent fiber dispersion, with improper handling posing serious risks to workers who need specialized training.
Municipal elections in 2023 slowed enforcement, but authorities anticipate that asbestos control will eventually yield new revenue through property fines on homes with asbestos. Refurbishment companies also see asbestos removal as a growth area. Prioritization should focus on facilities with the greatest danger and exposure to vulnerable populations, with public facilities at highest risk addressed first. In Catalonia, the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC) has been tasked with mapping fiber cement roofs across the region, with anticipated public access by the end of 2023.
Asbestos, the silent poison
Asbestos encompasses six silicate minerals. Its fibrous, non-flammable properties led to widespread use in construction and industry from the 1950s through the 1990s. When asbestos-containing materials degrade or are mishandled, microscopic fibers can be released and inhaled, remaining in the airways for decades. Exposure can lead to lung, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers, as well as diseases like asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. Symptoms of asbestos-related illness often appear 10 to 20 years after exposure for the cancer types, and 20 to 40 years for related cancers, which makes early detection particularly challenging.
Overall, authorities emphasize careful remediation, proper worker training, and ongoing monitoring to mitigate long-term health risks while the removal program progresses across regions.
Attribution: This summary compiles official regulatory aims, cost estimates, and program details from public records and industry reports with ongoing updates from regional authorities and satellite mapping providers.