No Asbestos Found in Burgenland Air Tests – Vienna.at

  <div class="vodl-region-article__author-box-wrapper">
    <div class="vodl-author-box">
      <p>

        Von
        <span class="vodl-author-box__author-name">
          .
        </span>
        -
        <span class="vodl-author-box__published-ts">
          5.02.2026 17:31
        </span>
        <span class="vodl-author-box__modified-ts">
          (Akt. 5.02.2026 17:36)
        </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
      <div class="vodl-region-article__featured-image">
        <div class="vodl-picture-wrapper">
          <div class="vodl-picture-wrapper__picture">
            <picture>
    <source media="(min-width: 37em)" sizes="( min-width: 1024px ) calc( .666 * ( 1024px - 4.444rem ) ), ( min-width: 50em ) calc( .666 * ( 100vw - 4.444rem ) ), 100vw" srcset="https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-16-9-22841258708-1258x708.jpg 1258w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-16-9-22841258708-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-16-9-22841258708-960x540.jpg 960w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-16-9-22841258708-640x360.jpg 640w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-16-9-22841258708-320x180.jpg 320w"/>

  <img src="https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-4-3-238111042781-1042x781.jpg" sizes="100vw" srcset="https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-4-3-238111042781-1042x781.jpg 1042w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-4-3-238111042781-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-4-3-238111042781-960x720.jpg 960w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-4-3-238111042781-640x480.jpg 640w, https://www.vienna.at/2026/02/maverick27-lighthouse-6741823_1280-4-3-238111042781-320x240.jpg 320w" alt="Im Burgenland wurde kein Asbest bei Messungen gefunden." title="Im Burgenland wurde kein Asbest bei Messungen gefunden."/>
</picture>

Initial air quality tests in the Burgenland region of Austria have revealed no elevated levels of asbestos, officials announced February 5, 2026. The findings come after Greenpeace reported asbestos content of up to 50 percent in rock formations at nine locations.

      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>While asbestos fibers were detected, levels were at the limit of detectability, according to environmental physician Hanns Moshammer. He explained that the low readings were likely due to recent wet weather, which reduces fiber release. Further testing is planned for the spring or summer when conditions are drier and warmer. Currently, authorities believe there is no immediate health risk. “There is no need for anyone to be afraid,” Moshammer emphasized. However, he cautioned against the continued use of fiber-containing rock as road material, urging road maintenance crews to seek alternatives.</p>
      </div>


























      <p>
        <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Closed Quarries in Burgenland Also Under Investigation</h2>
      </p>








      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>Samples were also taken Thursday from a quarry in Pilgersdorf (Oberpullendorf district) that was closed in early January. Air measurements were taken, along with rock samples sent for asbestos content analysis. Similar testing will occur next week at three other affected quarries in the Oberwart district. Dispersion modeling is also planned to determine the potential extent of asbestos exposure to nearby residents. Based on the results, local administrative authorities will decide on next steps for operations at the quarries.</p>
      </div>








      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>At the nine locations investigated by Greenpeace – including Oberwart’s main square, the Oberwart clinic, and the Rechnitz skatepark – measurements were taken using three devices each. These devices draw air through a gold filter at a rate mimicking human breathing. The collected fibers are then identified, measured, and counted to determine the atmospheric fiber content. The devices operated for eight hours during each measurement.</p>
      </div>


























      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>Personal sampling was also conducted, with a colleague equipped with a filter simulating typical activities in the test areas. “He walked around slowly and also faster,” said expert Michael Kochberger. A truck repeatedly passed the measurement devices in the industrial area.</p>
      </div>








      <p>
        <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asbestos Presence in Region Long Known</h2>
      </p>








      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>The presence of asbestos fibers in the region around Rechnitz has been known for some time, but no statistically significant increase in health risks has been identified to date. A “geogenic background level” exists simply because serpentinite naturally occurs in the area and is found in fields and other locations, according to Frank Melcher of the University of Leoben. </p>
      </div>








      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>Dust and products from the quarries are typically tested by the operators themselves, and authorities are not obligated to conduct their own inspections, said Andreas Temmel, a representative of the state administration within the task force. The investigation that ultimately led to the quarry closures began when one operator applied for an expansion.</p>
      </div>


























      <p>
        <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asbestos-Containing Material Also Found at Construction Site</h2>
      </p>








      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>According to the Austrian Press Agency, asbestos-containing material was discovered in late October 2024 at a construction site for the expansion of a high-voltage power line near the now-closed Pilgersdorf quarry. Work was temporarily halted and later resumed with the use of FFP3 masks and disposable protective suits. The state media service told the APA on request that, as part of the environmental impact assessment for the construction of a 110 kV high-voltage line, requirements were imposed for the removal of excavated soil material. During drilling for foundation work at a mast location, the construction company reported encountering asbestos-containing material, which was then “properly disposed of” in accordance with the requirements. The labor inspectorate and a waste technician were also involved. A work stoppage was deemed “not necessary.”</p>
      </div>








      <div class="vodl-region-article__content-text">
        <p>The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) also pointed out that asbestos-containing grit was recalled as early as 2008. Despite this, extraction continued for years. Asbestos in southern Burgenland is therefore “not a new issue, but has been documented for a long time,” according to the Freedom Party. In the case of the now-closed Bernstein quarry, concerns were also raised in June 2025, but the official closure did not occur until January 2026. The Freedom Party is therefore questioning how controls, checks, and assessments were carried out in recent years.</p>
      </div>