The Ministry of the Environment has investigated atmospheric concentrations of asbestos annually since 2005. Recently, the geometric mean value of the total fiber concentration has been below 1f/L in the continuous investigation areas that are around the source and in the background areas. It is safe to say that it has been kept at a very low level.
　In order to prevent asbestos from dispersing during demolition works, the Air Pollution Control Act was amended based on the angle of expanding its scope to include all construction materials that contain asbestos. A series of regulations, from the provision of regulations and the preliminary survey to the reporting of work results, were also tightened and implemented.

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Asbestos has been called the “worst industrial killer” due to the fact that its “classical” carcinogenic composition has caused serious occupational damages over the last 100 years. Asbestos is not only the biggest threat to occupational health, but also causes a major threat to the environment in general and to the interior environments of buildings. Two important asbestos regulations, the Air Pollution Control Act and the Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment due to Asbestos, have been revised in 2020. Although the regulations have basically been tightened, by establishing requirements for anyone conducting building surveys or asbestos analyses, there are still many inadequate points that need to be addressed when comparing regulations put in place in other countries. This paper focuses on the characteristics of asbestos damage, summarizes past and present regulations, and finally takes into consideration future measures for how asbestos can best be controlled.

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Measuring asbestos fibers in the atmosphere is necessary for any risk management strategy. This paper outlines the latest revision of the asbestos monitoring manual published by the Ministry of the Environment and presents health risks associated with asbestos. Before 2010, only chrysotile has been analyzed, and after that, total fibers were measured, so caution is required when evaluating data. The current (2017) testing method requires counting the total number of fibers by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and identifying asbestos types using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in cases of total number of fibers 1f/L or greater. Phase contrast/ polarization microscopy and phase difference/ fluorescence microscopy are used as rapid measurement methods at construction demolition sites where asbestos leaking and scattering to the air is often reported. On-site real-time measurement is also done. This paper summarizes the results of the asbestos concentration survey (2010 2019) conducted by the Ministry of the Environment are summarized. Chrysotile around the old asbestos factory has been observed to be 1f/L or higher. At demolition sites and crushing facilities, asbestos fibers are often found at a total fiber count of 1f/L or more, making it necessary to check the areas frequently through monitoring them. Because asbestos measurement using a microscope rely upon the naked eye of the observer, analysts must pay attention to quality control for counting.

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The current method for detecting asbestos fibers in air relies on a combination of phase-contrast and electron microscopy. Since this analysis is time-consuming and requires highly skilled operators, as well as bulky equipment, it is not suitable for on-site asbestos testing. The authors have developed the fluorescence microscopy (FM) method, which relies on fluorescence probes that can selectively bind to asbestos. A high correlation was observed between test results presented by the FM method and those of the electron microscopy-based method. In 2017, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment approved the FM method as a rapid analytical method for asbestos release at demolition sites. To address the demand for on-site detection of asbestos, we developed a portable fluorescent microscope that is robust enough to tolerate outdoor use. The FM method using an air sampling/fluorescent staining equipment and the portable fluorescent microscope can provide results within an hour at demolition sites. The authors are currently using an AI image analysis in order to develop a fully automatic airborne asbestos detection system.

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The stepwise strengthening of regulations on asbestos and the ban on production and use of asbestos are two important achievements of this century. The importance of appropriate management and treatment of asbestos-containing waste (ACW) generated from the demolition of old buildings has gained full acceptance, along with the need to avoid exposure of workers and environmental release of asbestos. This article presents the history of ACW regulations, outlines the current scenario regarding ACW generation and treatment, and reviews the research and development trends of ACW inertization technologies. Finally, it discusses what the ideal situation for ACW management and treatment should look like.

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In order to enhance its regulations and measures, there have been recent amendments made to the Air Pollution Control Law and Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment due to Asbestos. Contents of the amendments include expanding the types of asbestos-containing building materials subject to the regulations, enshrining into the law a preliminary inspection method prior to the demolition of buildings, and introducing a non-probationary penalty system for the violation of work standards during demolition of buildings.
　Under the amended law and ordinance, it is required that a comprehensive preliminary inspection be conducted and the follow-up report is obliged to clearly show evidence of whether any of the building materials contain asbestos or not. It must also show the areas where any asbestos-containing materials were used. This paper discusses the difficulties and problems of the preliminary inspection based on the synthetic research and diagnosis methods used by Nippon Asbestos Diagnosis Association (NADA).

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Although asbestos has been used in a wide range of materials, mainly in building materials and heat insulators, it is known to cause health hazards such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. These health hazards have been considered to develop among workers who are exposed to high concentrations of asbestos. Recently, some studies have shown that non-occupational exposure to asbestos also causes such health hazards. In Japan, an excess risk of mesothelioma has been observed among residents near a former asbestos plant. It is also predicted that there will be excess risk of future mesothelioma cases due to environmental asbestos exposure. Increasing trends of mesothelioma from non-occupational and household exposure to asbestos have also been reported in Australia, Korea, and Italy. There is concern about the risk of environmental exposure to asbestos in the US from the collapse of the World Trade Center towers that happened on 11 September 2001. It is expected that dispersion of asbestos from the destruction of these buildings is properly being mitigated and health hazards from asbestos exposure are being prevented.

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Features of the 2020 amendment to the Air Pollution Prevention Act, with regard to the prevention of asbestos dispersal during dismantling work, are as follows: 1) all construction materials are included as objects of the Act; 2) contractors are obligated to report results of investigations to the prefecture before starting any dismantling work and to make/keep a record of investigations; 3) after the removal of asbestos-containing materials is completed, contractors are obligated to report the results of the work to the contractee and to make/keep a record regarding the work; 4) certain acts that violate “work standards” have become subject to direct punishment without administrative orders to conform to these “work standards”; because such administrative orders are extremely difficult to issue during the very short period when dismantling work takes place.
　An amendment to require the measurement of air concentrations for asbestos surrounding the isolation area was postponed due to the fact that measurement results are usually issued in five to seven days and there are an inadequate number of scanning electron microscopes to measure the air concentration of asbestos fibers.

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