The Most Pollutant-Laden Construction Era
The years between 1960 and 1980 were a period of massive construction activity in Austria. Prefabricated concrete buildings, terraced-house estates, office buildings and public structures were built at a rapid pace. At the same time, the use of industrial building materials reached its peak: asbestos, PCB, PAH and numerous chemical wood preservatives were used on a large scale and without concern.
The result: buildings from this era very likely contain multiple pollutants simultaneously. A single house from the 1970s can have asbestos in the plaster, PCB in the joint sealants, PAH in the parquet adhesive, MMF in the insulation and wood preservatives in the roof structure.
Typical Pollutants in Buildings From 1960–1980
Asbestos
The peak period of asbestos use. Fibre-cement panels, tile adhesives, fillers, plasters, vinyl-asbestos floor tiles, pipe lagging, sprayed asbestos as fire protection, night storage heaters.
Asbestos Testing →PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyls in elastic joint sealants (especially in prefabricated concrete buildings), ceiling tiles, capacitors in fluorescent lamps and some floor coverings. Persistent and carcinogenic.
PCB Analysis →PAH
The notorious black parquet adhesive, the standard product in the 1960s to 1970s. Also roofing membranes, bitumen coatings and tar-based wood impregnations.
PAH Analysis →MMF (old mineral wool)
Mineral wool before 1996 with biopersistent fibres, potentially carcinogenic. Found in roof, wall and ceiling insulation, ventilation ducts and partition walls.
Asbestos & MMF Analysis →Wood preservatives
Peak use of PCP and lindane. Roof structures were very frequently treated in this period. Persistent, off-gassing for decades. PCP and lindane are carcinogenic (IARC Group 1), and lindane is also neurotoxic.
Lead
Lead-based paints were in use until the 1970s, particularly for windows, doors and radiators. Lead pipes are already rare in buildings from this era.
Lead Testing →When is a pollutant check necessary?
In no other construction era is the likelihood of multiple simultaneous pollutants so high:
- Before purchase: Remediation costs can increase significantly if multiple pollutants need to be professionally disposed of. A pollutant check gives you negotiating certainty.
- Before renovation: Without an investigation, you risk uncontrolled release of pollutants. Asbestos, PCB and MMF require certified specialist firms.
- Demolition work: Pollutant investigation is legally required. Waste must be disposed of separately by pollutant type.
Our recommendation: for buildings from 1960–1980, a comprehensive pollutant check (site-inspection flat fee €290 + samples) is almost always more sensible than individual analyses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buildings From 1960–1980
In this construction era, the use of industrial building materials reached its peak, before their health risks were known. Asbestos, PCB, PAH, MMF and wood preservatives were all used simultaneously and on a massive scale.
Not automatically, but very likely. Asbestos was processed into well over 3,000 different products, mostly building materials, and the 1960s to 1980s are among the most intensive periods of use in Austria. Only a laboratory analysis can reliably detect or rule out asbestos.
The site-inspection flat fee is €290 (up to 150 m², larger floor areas priced in bands). Analysis costs are additional per sample, e.g. asbestos from €75.60, MMF from €75.60. Situational analyses (PCB, PAH) by quote. For buildings from this era, 5 to 10 samples are typically worthwhile.
We strongly advise against it. Renovation work releases bound pollutants. Without prior investigation, you put yourself and the tradespeople at risk. For demolition work, it is legally required.
Pollutant check from €290
Buildings from this era are highly likely to contain asbestos, often together with PCB, PAH and MMF. A site inspection with sampling from €290 plus analyses clarifies whether and where, before work begins.
After remediation, we offer a clearance measurement: indoor air measurement to VDI 3492, to document the release recommendation. Pollutants by construction era →