Mapping asbestos remains in the territory

Summary of the challenge Raise awareness and train citizens to use a geolocation tool to photograph and geolocate asbestos-containing objects in their surroundings. The goal is to have a detailed census of locations that will identify high concentration areas and quantify the magnitude of the materials to be removed. Detailed description Historical Perspective Cerdanyola del Vallès, located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, was for decades one of the epicenters of asbestos production in Spain. The company Uralita S.A., established in the town in the early 20th century, was the main producer of asbestos-cement materials, such as pipes, roofing, and construction panels. It is estimated that nearly half of all asbestos distributed in Spain was manufactured in Cerdanyola. For more than 80 years, thousands of tons of asbestos were handled without adequate safety measures for workers or the surrounding population. Toxic asbestos fibers dispersed into the air, contaminating not only the factory grounds but also nearby neighborhoods. This long-term exposure has left a serious public health legacy: numerous cases of asbestos-related diseases have been documented, including asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer—affecting both factory workers and local residents. The social impact has also been profound. The situation has been referred to as “the asbestos tragedy”, a clear example of industrial negligence with irreversible consequences. Cerdanyola and its neighboring town Ripollet have been described as the "ground zero" of asbestos exposure in Spain. The Need for a Detailed Inventory Although the production of asbestos-containing materials was banned in Spain in 2002, the risk has not disappeared. Much of the asbestos installed in public and private infrastructure remains in place, gradually deteriorating and releasing fibers into the environment. This includes roofs, water pipes, tanks, abandoned industrial buildings, and improperly managed waste sites. In Cerdanyola del Vallès, the location and total volume of remaining asbestos waste is still unknown. This lack of information severely limits the ability to prevent exposure and to safely remove the material. For this reason, there is an urgent need to create a comprehensive and up-to-date inventory that identifies: Buildings and facilities containing asbestos Illegal dumpsites or legacy industrial waste Public or private areas where there is a risk of exposure Only with this asbestos risk map will it be possible to prioritize interventions in the most hazardous areas, establish safe removal timelines, and develop effective protection strategies for the community. Moreover, it is essential in order to meet the European Union’s goal of removing all asbestos by 2032. It is also essential to raise public awareness about the severity of the asbestos problem, as many people tend to underestimate its seriousness due to lack of knowledge or fear of facing its consequences. This social silence—often fueled by decades of institutional and industrial cover-up—has contributed to a lack of public pressure, delaying effective action. Breaking this taboo is crucial: only with an informed, aware, and engaged community can real pressure be applied to authorities, paving the way for decisive action and progress toward an asbestos-free city. Which SoilTribes priority area(s) does your challenge address? Territorial Justice Regenerative Transitions How does your challenge respond to the selected SoilTribes priority area(s)? Identifying and removing asbestos remains will help reduce the risk of contracting some of the deadly diseases related to exposure to this material. Which EU Soil Mission goal(s) does your challenge contribute to? Reduce soil pollution / enhance restoration Challenge typology Seeds (small, replicable initiatives) Expected outputs / actions Awareness-raising / communications Creative or cultural events Capacity-building (training, guides, mentorship) Policy or advocacy initiatives Participatory processes Prototyping or technical testing Who is involved or affected by the challenge? The program will be supported by associations of those affected by asbestos, neighborhood associations, family associations, and individuals concerned about the health and social problems that asbestos creates and will create in the future. Where is your challenge located? Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain Which SoilTribes pillar(s) are you connected to? Civil Society What public policies or institutional frameworks does your challenge engage with or seek to change? We seek to generate a census that we can share with local governments and other public administrations to actively urge them to prioritize the development of an asbestos identification and removal program in the region. How do you imagine the Bootcamp will benefit your initiative — and others? We hope to generate narratives that reduce fear and increase the number of people aware of the asbestos problem, and a technological solution that allows a detailed census of asbestos locations to be compiled for people with different technological profiles.