Indian foreign minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar informed parliament on February 9, 2023 that "There were asbestos concerns "with regard to Indian property in Washington D.C. It posed a challenge in preparing it for use as Indian Cultural Centre. He was replying to a question from Mohammed Nadimul Haque.
It
may be recalled that UN Secretary-General's report had provided an
assessment of asbestos-containing materials at UN Headquarters. It had
reviewed measures to ensure that such materials did not cause harm to
persons working or visiting in the United Nations (document A/54/779).
The report covered the Headquarters complex, the UNDC-I and UNDC-II
buildings, the former United Nations Institute for Training and Research
(UNITAR) building and leased spaces in other buildings in New York.
Close
attention has been paid to the asbestos situation in the UN Headquarters buildings and steps have been taken to make them
abestos-free. UN's
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) has
recommended that information be provided on asbestos at other United
Nations duty stations.
Measures
for managing asbestos include continued encapsulation of the existing
asbestos, whereby it is not considered a health risk; semi-annual
testing of air supply and return sources for asbestos fibres; and the
removal of asbestos- containing materials only where the maintenance,
alterations, improvement, construction or other activity necessitates
its removal, according to the report.
A
UN release stated that the UN complies with all standards,
codes and regulations issued by the United States Government, New York
State and City with regard to inspection, engineering controls,
abatement and management of disposal of asbestos-containing materials.
Unfortunately, this not enough because despite WHO's recommendation, US
is yet to ban all kinds of asbestos unlike 70 countries which have
prohibited it.
The
Committee also had before it a report of the ACABQ on the asbestos
situation at Headquarters (document A/54/7/Add.12) recommending that the
General Assembly take note of the Secretary-General's report and that
information be provided on buildings at Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi and the
regional commissions.
The
ACABQ learned that roughly 15 complaints concerning asbestos are
received every year. On receiving a complaint from staff, a licensed
independent contractor was sent to test the area for the presence of
asbestos fibres and the results were made available through the Medical
Services Division. 
In a related development, Iraq has informed India in writing that it has banned asbestos like some 70 countries. The countries which have banned it are: 1) Algeria, 2) Czech Republic, 3) Iran, 4) Malta, 5) Serbia, 6) Argentina, 7) Denmark, 8) Iraq, 9) Mauritius, 10) Seychelles, 11) Australia, 12) Djibouti, 13) Ireland, 14) Monaco, 15) Slovakia, 16) Austria, 17) Egypt, 18) Israel, 19) Mozambique, 20) Slovenia, 21) Bahrain, 22) Estonia, 23) Italy, 24) Netherlands, 25) South Africa, 26) Belgium, 27) Finland, 28) Japan, 29) New Caledonia, 30) Spain, 31) Brazil 32) France, 33) Jordan, 34) New Zealand, 35) Sweden, 36) Brunei, 37) Gabon, 38) South Korea, 39) Norway, 40) Switzerland, 41) Bulgaria, 42) Germany, 43) Kuwait, 44) Oman, 45) Taiwan, 46) Canada, 47) Gibraltar, 48) Latvia, 49) Poland, 50) Turkey, 51) Chile, 52) Greece, 53) Liechtenstein, 54) Portugal, 55) United Kingdom, 56) Colombia, 57) Honduras, 58) Lithuania, 59) Qatar, 60) Uruguay, 61) Croatia, 62) Hungary, 63) Luxembourg, 64) Romania, 65) Ukraine, 66) Cyprus, 67) Iceland, 68) Macedonia and 69) Saudi Arabia which have banned asbestos of all kinds because safe and controlled use of asbestos is not possible.
Hasn't Indian properties been made asbestos free in these 70 countries which have banned all kinds of carcinogenic asbestos mineral fibers?
India has banned mining of all kinds of asbestos and trade in asbestos waste (dust and fibers) but it is yet to ban its trade, manufacture and use.
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