In Japan, an overshadowed danger: asbestos

SENDAI, Japan -- Inside the chunks of slate and wallboard smashed and scattered by Japan's tsunami hides a health risk that has been overshadowed by contamination from a leaking nuclear plant: the odorless and nearly invisible threat of asbestos.

Activists have found the cancer-causing fibrous material in the air and debris collected from the devastated northeastern coast.

Levels in the air remain within Japan's safety range but are expected to rise significantly once cranes and cleanup crews begin their work in earnest, scraping and shaking loose the minuscule, white fibers from insulation and fireproofing layers.

Local officials are overwhelmed by the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, including the swamped nuclear reactor that has leaked radiation as engineers struggle to restore its cooling systems.

In such hard-hit areas as Miyagi prefecture, where the emperor and empress visited tsunami evacuees yesterday, officials acknowledge they have yet to focus on asbestos and potential contamination of other such airborne particles.

Meanwhile, workers, volunteers and residents roam freely through the debris. Some wear masks; others don't, despite the plumes of dust that shoot up every time a giant steel claw grabs a load of debris. On windy days, particles swirl in the air. They sting eyes and irritate throats before leaving behind a thin layer of dust.

"There are a lot of people going back into the rubble to search for valuables and photos," said Takuo Saitou, a Sendai-based attorney and a spokesman for a group tackling defective home issues in northern Japan. "There are people not even wearing masks. This is like a suicidal act. We want people to know this is a problem."