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<p>The phase-out of asbestos remains a critical yet underexplored challenge in the broader context of urban and regional sustainability transitions in Europe. Although asbestos has been banned in the European Union since 2005, recent European policy debates and Commission initiatives have increasingly emphasized the need to move from prohibition toward the systematic identification, registration, safe removal, and disposal of existing asbestos-containing material stocks. Policy implementation is fragmented, stakeholder engagement is inconsistent, and the socio-technical dynamics of change are insufficiently understood. This paper is designed as a structured conceptual synthesis and analytical framework article rather than as a systematic review or an empirical comparative case study. To address this gap, the paper develops an adapted ecosystem framework as its conceptual lens. This framework integrates institutional, technological, economic, social, and infrastructural domains to provide a systemic perspective on asbestos removal transitions at the municipal scale. The paper uses this framework to synthesize and organize recurring barriers, such as regulatory heterogeneity, financial constraints, infrastructural limitations, and low public awareness, and enablers, including policy harmonization, innovation in safe material substitution, and cross-sectoral collaboration. On this basis, the paper proposes an ideal–typical pathway typology that distinguishes between compliance-driven, retrofit-integrated, innovation-led, community-driven, and market/private-sector pathways to asbestos phase-out. The pathways are presented as non-exclusive theoretical ideal types developed for heuristic and policy-analytical purposes, rather than as empirically tested models or statistically derived classifications of municipalities. The paper concludes that overcoming path dependencies and fostering ecosystem synergies are essential not only for advancing theoretical debates in sustainability transition research but also for delivering practical guidance to policymakers, municipalities, and industry actors. These insights support European asbestos-free policy ambitions in a more equitable, resilient, and timely manner across diverse European urban environments.</p>

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An ecosystem framework for municipal asbestos removal as a material legacy transition

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  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月2日

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  • Gergely Zoltán Macher

摘要

The phase-out of asbestos remains a critical yet underexplored challenge in the broader context of urban and regional sustainability transitions in Europe. Although asbestos has been banned in the European Union since 2005, recent European policy debates and Commission initiatives have increasingly emphasized the need to move from prohibition toward the systematic identification, registration, safe removal, and disposal of existing asbestos-containing material stocks. Policy implementation is fragmented, stakeholder engagement is inconsistent, and the socio-technical dynamics of change are insufficiently understood. This paper is designed as a structured conceptual synthesis and analytical framework article rather than as a systematic review or an empirical comparative case study. To address this gap, the paper develops an adapted ecosystem framework as its conceptual lens. This framework integrates institutional, technological, economic, social, and infrastructural domains to provide a systemic perspective on asbestos removal transitions at the municipal scale. The paper uses this framework to synthesize and organize recurring barriers, such as regulatory heterogeneity, financial constraints, infrastructural limitations, and low public awareness, and enablers, including policy harmonization, innovation in safe material substitution, and cross-sectoral collaboration. On this basis, the paper proposes an ideal–typical pathway typology that distinguishes between compliance-driven, retrofit-integrated, innovation-led, community-driven, and market/private-sector pathways to asbestos phase-out. The pathways are presented as non-exclusive theoretical ideal types developed for heuristic and policy-analytical purposes, rather than as empirically tested models or statistically derived classifications of municipalities. The paper concludes that overcoming path dependencies and fostering ecosystem synergies are essential not only for advancing theoretical debates in sustainability transition research but also for delivering practical guidance to policymakers, municipalities, and industry actors. These insights support European asbestos-free policy ambitions in a more equitable, resilient, and timely manner across diverse European urban environments.