New measures aim to minimize workplace exposure to asbestos as much as possible. Twenty-seven members established a new position to review rules governing asbestos exposure, signaling a significant tightening of the maximum permissible levels. The European Commission has proposed this shift as part of a broader movement toward a modern, fiber-specific measurement system.
If the reform proceeds as Brussels recommends and EU employment ministers approve it, the plan would drop the tolerated asbestos level from 0.1 to 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter. This reduction would substantially lower the risk of cancer linked to overexposure and strengthen protection for workers across member states.
Ministers also endorse adopting a more precise counting method for asbestos fibers, utilizing electron microscopy to facilitate the transition from the current phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) standard. Countries would have a seven-year window to meet the criteria of the new system.
Despite an EU-wide ban on asbestos since 2005 (Spain since 2002), the toxin remains in approximately 220 million older buildings and infrastructure, according to data from community services relayed by Europa Press.
In this context, asbestos removal remains a critical task in many buildings.
Data indicate that 78% of cancers diagnosed as workplace-related are associated with asbestos exposure. Following negotiations, the twenty-seven will begin talks with the European Parliament to finalize the reform framework.
One million children study under asbestos
Juan Antonio Ortega, a member of the Comprehensive Asbestos Law Group and coordinator of the Environmental Health Committee within the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, has warned that one million children attend schools where asbestos exposure is possible. He cautions that asbestos remains a deadly carcinogen still present in many educational facilities. Children spend approximately 40 hours a week in schools and kindergartens, underscoring the need for safe environments for learning and play.
Ortega emphasizes the importance of eliminating asbestos in educational centers to prevent environmental exposure. Many Spanish school buildings are over 50 years old, which helps explain the ongoing presence of asbestos and other materials once common in construction.
Asbestos causes pleural and lung cancer as well as pulmonary fibrosis
Asbestos exposure is linked to cancer of the pleura and lungs, along with pulmonary fibrosis, with diseases often appearing decades later. The expert calls for robust School Environmental Health programs aimed at reducing exposure to carcinogens and asbestos in education centers.
Additionally, pulmonologist Josep Tarrés urged the government to act now to prevent an asbestos epidemic from affecting future generations. He warned that inaction could leave a toxic legacy and result in thousands of cancer cases in the coming decades, highlighting the political responsibility to protect public health.
He also notes that, in some European countries, structural funds have supported asbestos elimination for years, while Spain has struggled to implement targeted projects—such as eliminating asbestos in schools in certain regions—despite available European funding for public health initiatives.
There is no safe minimum exposure level
Expert analyses suggest that many asbestos-containing materials are reaching the end of their life, and a large share will do so by 2030. When degraded, asbestos fibers can be released into the air, turning into a major health hazard. The material remains classified as a well-established carcinogen, with risks including mesothelioma and cancers of the larynx and ovaries, among others. The emphasis is on proactive health protection and prevention across educational and occupational settings.
To address these concerns, authorities stress ongoing surveillance, prevention programs, and proactive mitigation across schools and workplaces to reduce exposure to carcinogenic fibers and protect communities now and in the future.
For further information on environmental health measures and asbestos policies, inquiries can be directed to official environmental health departments and relevant public health bodies within each member state, with guidance and updates provided through formal channels and national health authorities.