On October 23, asbestos was found during renovation work to metro station Stadhuis in Rotterdam. This station will remain closed for around another two weeks at least until the asbestos is removed.
Asbestos can cause cancer, and has been banned in the Netherlands since 1993 and in Europe since 2005. Many roofs in the Netherlands still contain asbestos, however, these will need to be removed before 2024 in accordance with the government’s ban.
The metro station in Rotterdam was immediately evacuated upon the detection of asbestos. The air at the metro station was tested and luckily, the asbestos particles, which were released during work to the station in Rotterdam, did not lead to any health risks for workers or passengers. The amount of asbestos found in the air samples was 15 times lower than the legal limit.
As a precaution, RET, the Rotterdam transport company, has had its metros cleaned and replaced the filters in them. No asbestos has been found in or on the metros.
Closing the metro station for at least another two weeks may seem like a long time, however, it is necessary. There are many official rules that need to be adhered to when dealing with asbestos, and not just anyone can do it, RET needs to bring in specialists.
Passengers who need to travel between Beurs and Central Station can do via tram. The metro between these stations may start running again before the two weeks are up, but it will not stop at Stadhuis station.