In working closely with the Department of Public Health to manage an incident involving a fire at Tycor Business Centre, Waterford City and County Council has received the following public health advice from HSE Dublin and South East.

Environmental sampling has identified asbestos-containing material in some of the debris related to the incident. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre that was used extensively for building insulation prior to the 1990s, however it is now known that exposure to asbestos can have health implications. As such, asbestos is no longer used, however asbestos can remain in older buildings.

Asbestos-containing materials do not cause health problems, unless they are disturbed and the asbestos fibres are released into the air. This can happen during building renovations, during DIY, or after a fire. Breathing in asbestos fibres can increase the risk of serious health effects usually associated with repeated or higher levels of exposure. For this reason, people should avoid touching, sweeping, vacuuming, power-washing, or otherwise disturbing dust, ash, debris, or suspected asbestos-containing material.

Air monitoring for asbestos has been in place since the incident occurred and to date no elevated levels of asbestos have been detected in air sampling.

In order to reduce the chances of exposure to asbestos, HSE advises that it is important that any dust or debris that may contain asbestos fibres is not disturbed and released into the air.

The advice remains for those living within the immediate vicinity of the site:

·         Do not bring debris, dust or ash into your home on footwear or clothing.

·         Remove and clean footwear before entering the house, where possible. 

·         Wash hands thoroughly after any outdoor activities. 

·         Do not sweep or brush dust. If you do need to remove dust, you can gently wet wipe the dust to avoid dispersing the material into the air.

·         Do not move or remove debris.

·         Do not vacuum or power hose.

·         Do not vigorously clean surfaces that may be contaminated.

·         Do not cut or mow grass

If you have any symptoms or are concerned about your health, make contact with your GP.

You can view HSE FAQs at https://bit.ly/HSE-Advice-TycorFire or call Waterford City and County Council Customer Services on 0818 10 20 20.

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