There are still vehicles using asbestos in Colombia – Sectors – Economy



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About 15 years ago, the use of asbestos in brake linings and clutches for pbadenger cars in Colombia began to be eliminated. Today, all vehicles equipped with disc brakes use more asbestos. The same goes for clutches, they are no longer available with this material in the country, at least as far as the domestic industry is concerned.

However, the oldest heavyweights whose owners are independent, andIt is traditional and cost that items such as blocks or bands for disc brakes have this material.

In the case of pbadenger cars, there may be a very small percentage of cases in which references with current materials are not obtained to replace the bearings and tapes and where these spare parts may still contain the same. asbestos or mixtures with this mineral, to some extent.

Both cases, heavy transport and old cars, have an impact in the case of repairs in workshops in which, due to lack of modern and adequate spare parts or because of bad procedures, cuts, perforations or grinding of the rings are performed. In addition, particles of material can be released into the environment, which can be harmful to the health of the technician if it is not sufficiently protected against the dust that comes out of it.

In the case of heavy commercial vehicles, it is known that even the domestic industry produces only a small percentage of its production, perhaps 5%, for which it uses this material according to market demand. but for that reason, they did not want to talk about it. taking into account the current situation.

However, elements such as tapes have warnings to avoid these procedures, especially perforations, and even some of these products already come from the factory and are made in the same way, so that the workers who will rivet them to the shoes should not do it without the proper environmental protections and run the risk of inhaling dust.

It should also be noted that in some old cars arriving in the workshops, operators usually "blow" the brake dust accumulated on the wheels, instead of vacuuming or moistening parts before removing them and running a risk for their health. they have a continuous exposure to this phenomenon.

The automotive industry has used asbestos for many years because it has many advantages, including increased mechanical strength for durability and hardness of parts, efficient braking at lower cost and excellent thermal insulation which prevented the braking heat was easily transmitted to the brake fluid.

But for his replacement, he began working with new compounds and fibers, including metal, fiberglbad, carbon fiber and even Kevlar, which are now used for their friction properties.

At present, both private vehicles and large fleets of pbadengers and goods, including intercommunal buses and integrated transport systems, with Transmilenio, require that this type of brake and clutch products be free from any type of brake and clutch product. ;asbestos.

As we have already mentioned, the only people who use it are independent truck drivers and dump trucks whose vehicles have been running for decades.

With the new regulation, the domestic industry will have no problem to perform the replacement of the material as all elements to replace it already exist in buffers, bands and disks clutches.

In any case, smuggling can result in substandard and uncertified replacement parts, and there are some banned factories that use this material, but their supply will be progressively reduced over the next five years. years. years in accordance with the law that has just been pbaded by the Colombian Congress.

The suction is deadly

There are many finished products on the market today that contain asbestos, such as shingles and friction elements used in vehicle brakes and clutches.

When asbestos is consolidated in these elements, it is not harmful nor does it involve handling it. But if it turns into dust, such as when grinding or drilling strips to adjust them, or cleaning wheel trimmings, this material, inhaled continuously and abundantly, produces the effects cited as cancer. and other respiratory diseases.

EDITOR VEHICLES

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