Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) has been a well-known issue within rock quarries for a long time. In France, the subject has recently become more controversial, particularly since 2013. In fact, some mineral fibers with the chemical composition of regulated asbestos (i.e., actinolite) have been discovered in road-base aggregates and associated air filter samples. The main problem concerns the determination of the asbestiform versus non-asbestiform character of such mineral particles. The in-force standard based on the morphological identification of a fiber does not allow one to make this distinction. Presently, in France, the asbestos analysis of building material is based on a “yes” or “no” result. This method has limitations for analyzing NOA, as NOA may be present in lower concentrations in natural materials, especially in road-base aggregates. The health effects of the non-asbestiform particles, also called “cleavage fragments,” with fiber morphology are not well established. The French government mandated the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety to conduct a review on the “state of the art” concerning the cleavage fragment issue. The conclusions of the report highlight the fact that elongate mineral particles (EMPs) are up for debate and address remaining questions concerning this subject. The next fundamental step is to secure agreement on the terminology of EMPs with the aim of comparing the studies in different disciplines.

<p>The French Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Environment are faced with the emerging issue of cleavage fragment particles with same chemical composition as actinolite asbestos in aggregates used in road pavement. In 2015, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published a literature review on the health effect of these non asbestiform particles. The conclusion is that any study can show the evidence of risk absence related to these particles.</p><p>After this first report, the French government mandated the national agency to conduct a research on the emission source of EMPs of interest (EMPi; ANSES, 2017). These particles correspond to the asbestiform and non-asbestiform varieties of the six regulated asbestos minerals and to four other mineral fibers. The agency recommends following the precaution principle by applicating the asbestos regulation to these whole particles. It also recommends leading a measurement campaign for exploring the potential exposure of workers and general population to EMPi during some construction activities.</p><p>In this context, the three ministries asked in 2017 the Professional Organization for Risk Prevention in Building and Public Work Sector (OPPBTP) to coordinate a project on EMPi, based on the requirements of the ANSES second report. This national project, called Carto PMAi, addresses the potential exposure of populations to EMPi, in order to provide reliable data to the three ministries to set up legal provisions. The first step is to build reliable protocols to measure EMPi in materials and in the air. Several national scientific organisms and asbestos testing laboratories take part at this phase that includes interlaboratory comparisons. The second phase is the measurement campaign in construction areas, including quarries and earthwork in natural environment.</p>

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The French Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor, and Ministry of Environment are faced with the emerging issue of cleavage fragments with the same chemical composition as actinolite asbestos in aggregates used in road pavement. In 2015, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published a literature review on the health effect of these nonasbestiform particles. The conclusion is that no study can show the evidence of risk absence related to these cleavage fragments. Consequently, the agency recommends following the precaution principle by applicating the asbestos regulation to these particles. After this first report, the French government mandated the national agency to conduct research on the emission source of elongate mineral particles of interest (EMPi). These particles correspond to the asbestiform and nonasbestiform varieties of the six regulated asbestos minerals and to four other mineral fibers. This second report recommends leading a measurement campaign for exploring the potential exposure of workers and general population to EMPi during some construction activities. This paper presents the national project, called Carto PMAi, whose goal is to lead the exploratory campaign in the aim to give the relevant data to the three ministries allowing then to assess the potential exposure of populations to EMPi, and set up legal provisions proportionally to the exposure risk. The first step is to build reliable protocols to measure EMPi in materials and in the air. Several national scientific organizations and asbestos-testing laboratories take part at this phase that includes interlaboratory comparisons. The second phase is the measurement campaign in construction areas, including quarries and earthwork in the natural environment.

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