Note: Ban Asbestos Network of India, as part of Ban Asbestos South Asia has long been urging SARRC countries to ban asbestos of all kinds. Prior to this Government of Sri Lanka had also initiated efforts to ban asbestos. The day is not far when whole of South Asia will become asbestos free. A Bill to ban asbestos in India has been introduced in Rajya Sabha as well. Supreme Court has taken note of it and recommended action in pursuance of the recommendations of WHO and ILO.
Gopal Krishna
Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI)
Government of Nepal banned import, purchase and use of asbestos
KATHMANDU,
DEC 24 - The government has banned the import, purchase and use of
carcinogenic mineral fibre asbestos, which is used as construction
material, saying that it is causing serious public health complications.
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE), as per the
provision of Environment Protection Act 1997, published a notice in
Nepal Gazette on Monday to ban the hazardous asbestos sheets and related
products to protect human health as well as environment from harmful
consequences due to its increasing use in the construction sector. This
decision will automatically come into effect within 181 days after the
date of notification.
A study conducted by the World Health
Organization (WHO) has already identified that all forms of asbestos are
carcinogenic to humans and cause various other health implications.
Over 40 countries have banned the import, export and use of the material
within their territories.
Human health and environment were
under high risk of getting impacted from these carcinogenic asbestos
sheets used massively in many places in the country, especially in the
Tarai region, according to the Centre for Public Health and
Environmental Development (CEPHED).
“Since last year, civil
society and experts have been advocating to address the related public
health and environmental problems possibly resulted from unscientific
burying of asbestos wastes in Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu and its
massive import and use in the Tarai region,” said Ram Charitra Sah,
executive director at CEPHED. “Now we need effective implementation of
this decision,” he said.
2014-12-25
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