Evaluation of asbestos-containing products and released fibers in home appliances

Our plain-English summary of Evaluation of asbestos-containing products and released fibers in home appliances, by S.H. Hwang, W.M. Park (Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2016).

The study

• Authors: S.H. Hwang, W.M. Park
• Journal: Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association
• Published: 2016;66(9):922-9
• Cited by: 3 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to detect asbestos-containing products and released asbestos fibers from home appliances. The authors investigated a total of 414 appliances manufactured between 1986 and 2007. Appliances were divided into three categories: large-sized electric appliances, small-sized electric appliances, and household items. Analysis for asbestos-containing material (ACM) was performed using polarized light microscopy (PLM) and stereoscopic microscopy. Air sampling was performed to measure airborne concentration of asbestos using a phase-contrast microscope (PCM). The results of the analysis for ACM in appliances show that large-sized electric appliances (refrigerators, washing machines, kimchi-refrigerators) and household items (bicycles, motorcycles, gas boilers) contain asbestos material and small-sized electric appliances do not contain asbestos material. All appliances with detected asbestos material showed typical characteristics of chrysotile (7-50%) and tremolite (7-10%). No released fibers of ACM were detected from the tested appliances when the appliances were operating. This study gives the basic information on asbestos risk to people who use home appliances.

Implications: All appliances with detected asbestos material showed typical characteristics of chrysotile (7-50%) and tremolite (7-10%). No released fibers of ACM were detected from the tested appliances when the appliances were operating.

In plain English

This South Korean study examined home appliances and household items from a recycling center, described as made from 1986 to 2007, although a table lists some dated 2008. Suspect parts, such as compressor gaskets and brake pads, were examined by polarized light microscopy. Air was sampled near five types of asbestos-containing products while they operated. The article reported 414 appliances, but its counts differ elsewhere. Asbestos was found in refrigerators (10 of 20), kimchi-refrigerators (16 of 24), washing machines (3 of 23), bicycles, motorcycles and gas boilers. None was found in 227 samples of small electric appliances. The fibers were chrysotile (stated range 7–50% by weight) and tremolite (7–10%), though the table lists some lower values. The results section reported no asbestos detected in air, while the discussion said levels were below South Korea's limit of 0.01 fibers/cc. From this sampling, the authors concluded that no asbestos is released during use if the material does not decompose or products are not 'artificially' operated, a term left unexplained. They added that workers dismantling such products may be exposed.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Laboratory survey of consumer products. Dismantled parts were analyzed by polarized light microscopy and stereoscopic microscopy (EPA method 600/R-93-116). Air samples taken during operation were analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (NIOSH Method 7402).
• Who was studied: Home appliances and household items, both domestic and imported, collected by a recycling center in South Korea. The authors describe them as manufactured between 1986 and 2007, but Table 4 lists some asbestos-containing products dated 2008. The article reports 414 appliances in 27 kinds, grouped as large-sized electric appliances (99 samples), small-sized electric appliances (227 samples) and household items (115 samples).
• Exposure: Asbestos in appliance parts, with chrysotile and tremolite the types found. The parts included compressor inner packing or gaskets, brake pads and liners, motor and clutch parts, heat-keeping materials and valve gaskets. Airborne fibers were measured near operating refrigerators, kimchi-refrigerators, washing machines, bicycles and motorcycles.
• Main results:
  • Refrigerators: chrysotile at 14–50% by weight was found in 10 of 20 products, in the compressor gasket.
  • Kimchi-refrigerators: chrysotile (7–45%) and tremolite (10%) were found in 16 of 24 products, in the compressor gasket.
  • Washing machines: chrysotile at 8–20% was found in 3 of 23 products, in clutch braking and motor packing parts.
  • Small-sized electric appliances: no asbestos was detected in 227 samples from 14 items.
  • Asbestos was also found in bicycles, motorcycles and gas boilers. The discussion gives these detection rates: gas boilers 53.3%, refrigerators 50.0%, motorcycles 31.8% and bicycles 18.8%. It gives kimchi-refrigerators 66.7% and washing machines 13.0%. Table 5 gives 8 of 15 gas boilers, 7 of 22 motorcycles and 3 of 16 bicycles.
  • No large-sized appliance manufactured after 2005 contained asbestos. Asbestos was found in household items manufactured until 2007.
  • Of 47 asbestos-containing products, 45 (from six items) were domestic and two (from one item) were imported. The conclusion section instead gives 44 domestic and three imported.
  • Air sampling during operation: the results section stated that no asbestos from any tested asbestos-containing product was detected in the air.
  • The discussion instead stated that asbestos around the asbestos-containing products was detected at less than South Korea's environmental exposure limit of 0.01 fibers/cc.
• The authors' conclusion: From air sampling during operation, the authors concluded that asbestos is not released into the air during use if the asbestos-containing material does not decompose. They added a further condition, which the article does not explain: that the products are not 'artificially' operated. They attributed the lack of release to the material being seated in inner parts and covered with a protective film. They noted that workers may be exposed when such products are decommissioned and called for further study of that work.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The study did not analyze all home appliances by year, manufacturer and type, so the authors stated it is hard to conclude that these products are the highest asbestos-containing products in South Korea.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Chrysotile, Tremolite.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM), Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM), Air Sampling, Chrysotile, Tremolite.

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