Cold Most of Antarctica is a high, flat plateau of ice covered in snow throughout the year. The snow reflects the sun's solar radiation, and this combined with the altitude (an average of 14,000 feet above sea level) makes the interior of Antarctica the coldest place on Earth. The lowest recorded Antarctic temperature was taken at Vostok Station in July 1983: -89.2Â°C (-128.6Â°F). The lowest South Pole temperature is from June 23, 1982: -82.8Â°C (-117.0Â°F). The warmest temperature ever recorded at the South Pole, recorded at the height of the austral summer, December 25, 2011, was still well below freezing: -12.3Â°C (+9.9Â°F). An example of a sun pillar.
Although the Environmental Protection Agency banned most asbestos-containing products on July 12, 1989, this ruling was overturned in 1991 by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Fortunately, this later ruling did not overturn the ban on all asbestos materials. Some of the products that remain banned after this overruling are flooring felt, rollboard, and corrugated commercial, or specialty, paper as well as all ânew usesâ of asbestos.
It was not until fourteen years later, in 1983, that the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations was introduced which required an HSE (Health and Safety Executive) licence for any person working with asbestos coating or asbestos insulation products.