International academics push for outright ban on asbestos…again

The Collegium's latest report ‘Asbestos is Still with Us: Repeat Call for a Universal Ban’ states: “All forms of asbestos are proven human carcinogens. All forms of asbestos cause malignant mesothelioma, lung, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers, and may cause gastrointestinal and other cancers. No exposure to asbestos is without risk, and there is no safe threshold of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos cancer victims die painful lingering deaths. These deaths are almost entirely preventable.” The report is a follow-up to ‘Call for an International Ban on Asbestos’ that was issued 10 years ago but which fell on deaf ears in official circles. The latest report attempts to support its case by highlighting the adoption of asbestos policies by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Organisation (ILO) that support a phasing out of asbestos use.hideAccording to the Collegium Ramazzini, materials in public buildings such as hospitals and schools and in private residences that contain asbestos constitute an ongoing risk to professional and amateur workers. “People who continue to work in, inhabit or maintain buildings which contain deteriorating asbestos products are at risk. Asbestos deaths among caretakers and maintenance men of such buildings are higher than average,” stated the group. Asbestos has been phased out over the years as the danger of the substance has become clear, not least to insurers that have incurred huge losses for claims related to the material. But, asbestos is still used as some experts believe that certain types, if used properly, do not cause harm. The Collegium Ramazzini says that zero tolerance and an outright ban is the only answer. It claims, for example, that workers in ship-breaking yards in Turkey, India and Bangladesh, asbestos factories in India, Thailand and Vietnam and on construction sites in Pakistan, China and Indonesia remain particularly exposed to the hazardous material, despite the weight of medical evidence against its use. The group said that the WHO estimates that some 125 million people are currently occupationally exposed to asbestos and that such exposure leads to 90,000 deaths every year. In October 2006, the WHO itself published a policy statement entitled the ‘Elimination of Asbestos-Related Diseases.’ It stated: “Bearing in mind there is no evidence for a threshold for the carcinogenic effect of asbestos and that increased cancer risks have been observed in populations exposed to very low levels, the most efficient way to eliminate asbestos-related diseases is to stop using all types of asbestos. Continued use of asbestos cement in the construction industry is a particular concern because the workforce is large, it is difficult to control exposure, and in-place materials have the potential to deteriorate and pose a risk to those carrying out alterations, maintenance and demolition. In its various applications, asbestos can be replaced by some fibre materials and by other products which pose less or no risk to health.” In March 2009, the list of asbestos-related diseases was extended to include cancers of the larynx and ovary by experts taking part in a high-level meeting of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in France. IARC has classed all types of asbestos as a carcinogen for decades, according to the Collegium. It stated that a summary report on the official evaluations was published in ‘The Lancet Oncology’ which stated that: “Although asbestos has been banned or restricted in most of the industrialised world, its use is increasing in parts of Asia, South America, and the former Soviet Union. Naturally occurring sources of asbestos, its use in brake linings, and deterioration of asbestos-containing products all contribute to environmental exposure worldwide. Exposure may also come from fibres carried home on the clothing of asbestos workers.”

International academics push for outright ban on asbestos…again

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