Clearing the earthquake-ravaged sites in Japan also poses health risks to workers comprised mostly of volunteers. Workers clearing millions of tonnes of debris from last month's earthquake and tsunami are also exposed to other lung-related ailments as they can be exposed for longer periods putting away building debris that can release asbestos and dioxins into the air.

The destruction wrought by the March 11 calamity is so enormous that just removing the rubble is expected to take years. Japan's Reconstruction Design Council said the challenge to take away all the rubble estimated at 25 million tonnes is a herculean task, but needs to be done for all the affected citizens enough space to move on after the disaster.

"This is an enormous task," said Matoko Iokibe, chairman of the Reconstruction Design Council which advises the prime minister, and who suggested the rubble could be turned into landscaped hills in a related report by AFP.

Workers would have to struggle through the sea of toppled trucks, twisted steel and tortured beaten concrete and it has been a requirement to wear face masks to protect themselves as best they can from inhaling toxic and carcinogenic asbestos-laden dust.

"The biggest concerns are dirt, sand and building dust that can be inhaled and cause abnormalities in the lungs," said Sendai city official Mr Tetsuo Ishii in an interview on television network NHK. "When workers tear down buildings, a lot of dust comes out, and there are concerns about asbestos," Mr Ishii noted.

Before it was banned in Japan, a lot of the buildings had been insulated and fireproofed with asbestos material. Asbestos can easily cause lung cancer when inhaled often.

Source: OfficialWire