Ban-Asbestos-India: Azhagiri's decision about Asbestos appreciated

Friday, July 1, 2011

Azhagiri's decision about Asbestos appreciated

Azhagiri's decision about Asbestos appreciated
N. ASOKAN | Chennai

The Union minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, MK Azhagiri, has received a rare appreciation from NGOs which normally complain about the functions of government. His Ministry's decision in a global forum to reverse a years long stand about Asbestos has fetched him the appreciation.

In the 5th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP5) to the UN's Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade in Switzerland on 22nd June, 2011, India has given its consensus for the listing of Asbestos in the UN hazardous and harmful chemicals list.

The moment the Indian decision was announced, the gathering comprised of international delegates gave a half a minute standing ovation. Now Canada, which is the largest exporter of Chryosotile asbestos (White asbestos) is opposing this move which means after Asbestos is listed in the PIC procedure, it is mandatory for the exporting country to provide the data about the asbestos mineral that is being exported.

In a letter to M.K. Azhagiri, Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) and Toxics Watch Alliance (TWA) have expressed their appreciation to him and his team of officials in the Ministry. ''BANI and TWA salute you for resisting the influence of twins of asbestos companies- Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers' Association and Asbestos Information Center”, the letter reads. It further states that this decision clears the way for the elimination of Asbestos in the near future.

They have also made some recommendations to the Ministry which include removing of asbestos from public and private buildings, banning the use of asbestos based products and initiating a rehabilitation programme for those affected with asbestosis. ''Azhagiri has restored the reputation of Indian Government by taking a decision based on Science. He has successfully resisted the powerful Asbestos Industry lobby," Gopal Krishna, an Environmentalist associated with BANI told TSI.

According to World Health Organisation's latest estimate, asbestos claims 107,000 lives a year. NGOs and activists all over the World are calling for stopping its use.

The Sunday Indian
June 30, 2011

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Ban on Asbestos is a Must

A study in a peer-reviewed journal had earlier estimated that there could be more than 6,000 workers affected by asbestosis (an untreatable lung ailment) and another 600 suffering at the minimum from asbestosis-related lung cancer in India at present. Occupational cancer from asbestos, the disease caused by emissions at the work place, poses an increasingly serious health problem. But the subject has attracted relatively little attention from industry, labour, public health bodies or the medical profession. Asbestos is one of the single largest sources of occupational cancer. Indian polticians are acting as if they are bonded workers of asbestos industry.

World Trade Center, New York collapsed Thousands of tons of asbestos became airborne.

Back in 1981, there was research coming out that Asbestos was cancer causing and this ad was in rebuttal to that research touting the benefits of using Asbestos. The text over the Twin Towers states, "When the Fire Alarm Went Off, It Took Two Hours to Evacuate New York's World Trade Center." I do not need to remind anyone of the images of September 11th and this ad. The copy below the ad goes on to mention all of the places that Asbestos was used in the World Trade Center. I can not not think of all of the innocent victims in the area that were exposed to all of the dust, smoke and inherent asbestos that was in the air after the buildings collapsed. The cloud of smoke went across the entire city and potentially exposed hundreds of thousands of individuals to asbestos. Hopefully there can be a cure or treatment for Mesothelioma before all of these potential victims are diagnosed.

Apex Court allocates meagre compensation for asbetsos victims

In 1995, the Supreme Court of India fixed Rs 1 lakh compensation amount and identified National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) as the final authority to certify asbestosis cases. Compensations are given through the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). Two workers in Ahmedabad Electricity Company diagnosed as having asbestosis by NIOH have been compensated by Gujarat High Court. Twenty-five workers in asbestos jointing and packing industry at Mumbai were compensated by the Special medical board of ESIC. The court ruled that the industrial units must maintain a health record of every worker up to a minimum period of 40 years; insure workers under the Employees State Insurance Act or Workmen’s Compensation Act and give health coverage to every worker.

Asbestos Victims

Every day estimated 30 deaths in India is under way due to the ongoing trade and use of white asbestos. 'Asbestos' in Greek means 'indestructible'. Greeks called asbestos the 'magic mineral'. Asbestos is a generic term, referring usually to six kinds of naturally occuring mineral fibres. Of these six, three are used more commonly. Chrysotile is the most common, accounts for almost 90 per cent of the asbestos used in the industry, but it is not unusual to encounter Amosite or Crocidolite as well. Though Crocidolite asbestos is banned in India, it can still be found in old insulation material, old ships that come from other countries for wrecking in India. All types of asbestos tend to break into very tiny fibre, almost microscopic. In fact, some of them may be up to 700 times smaller than human hair. Because of their small size, once released into the air, they may stay suspended in the air for hours or even days. Asbestos fibres are virtually indestructible. They are resistant to chemicals and heat, and are very stable in the environment. They do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water, and they do not break down over time. Because of its high durability and with tensile strength asbestos has been widely used inconstruction and insulation materials - it has been used in over 3,000 different products. Where do we use it? In India, asbestos is used in manufacture of pressure and non pressure pipes used for water supply, sewage, irrigation and drainage system in urban and rural areas, asbestos textiles, laminated products, tape, gland packing, packing ropes, brake lining and jointing used in core sector industries such as automobile, heavy equipment, petro-chemicals, nuclear power plants, fertilizers, thermal power plants, transportation, defence.

Make India Asbestos Free

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Friday, July 1, 2011

Azhagiri's decision about Asbestos appreciated

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