Category: News

Asbestos is a commercial term to indicate any fibrous mineral with a fibrous form. Historically, the word asbestos comes from the Greek meaning inextinguishable, or indestructible. Being best known for its properties of strong, flexible, and heat resistant, asbestos has been used since ancient times.

The historical flood caused heavy human losses and made thousands of people homeless in provinces of Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Tri and so on. In order to help the flood hit households in Quang Binh to quickly stabilize their lives after the natural disaster, Vietnam National Roofsheet Association organized the “Assistance for flood victims in Quang Binh province” with a budget of VND 400 million donated by chrysotile cement roof sheet factories, traders, chrysotile producers. This was the Vietnam National Roofsheet Association’s annual activity under the theme “Social responsibility” and signified the spirit “Mutual affection and mutual love”, “Intact leaves wrap torn leaves” of the association.

Montréal, March 23, 2010, one of the key demands of the labour movement has always been for a safe workplace in order to protect the health and physical integrity of the workers it represents.

Chrysotile Information Centre held a press seminar on the topic titled, “Shedding New Light on Chrysotile”. The Press seminar is aimed at providing factual and comprehensive information about chrysotile which is an important mineral used extensively in the construction industry and which has been blamed for causing health hazards.

Proposed title: Support from the trade union community for the safe and responsible use of chrysotile fibre

The conclusion by top radiologists after the “Occupational Diseases Testing and Environment Measurement 2009” program indicates that chrysotile does not cause asbestosis or mesothelioma. This program is conducted at 7 roof sheet factories by the Vietnam National Roof Sheet Association in conjunction with the Construction Hospital.

Recently, many poor people in rural areas living in houses roofed by asbestos cement sheet, were worried when a number of newspapers quoted a statement by an official of Occupational health and injury accident Department (Preventive Medicine and Environment Bureau – Ministry of Health) that chrysotile was very toxic. And anyone exposed to this fiber were at risks of infection and included thereof possible tumor disease. Reporter of the People’s Army had an interview with Mr. Le Dinh Tu, President of Vietnam National Roof Sheet Association to on this issue.

Recently, a number of published articles about the use of chrysotile in the manufacturing of AC roof sheets have shocked the scientific research field and affected the business stability of enterprises, and of the construction material sector. In order to clarify the situation surrounding this matter, journalist of “Construction Newspaper” had an interview with Mr. Le Minh Phuc – Secretary General of Vietnam National Roof Sheet Association.

We all know that you can’t always trust what you read, that some journalists will twist facts and manipulate the truth to make their stories more interesting. That some people use statistics like a drunk uses lamp posts: more for support than illumination – as a Scottish poet once said.

The Chairman of Vietnam Construction Labor Union – Mr. Nguyen Van Binh recently had a field trip to Russia to learn about the exploitation and production of chrysotile and the health of the factory workers. Mr. Binh was interviewed by the reporter of Construction Newspaper with regard to his trip.

The Regional Priority Goal 4 contains the necessity to develop programs on elimination of asbestos-related diseases instead of calling for prohibition of use of asbestos in the draft Declaration.

Yesterday saw the launch of yet another scare campaign. As so often before championed by the BBC, it warned us again of the deadly dangers posed by asbestos – this time in Britain’s schools.

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upholds Asbestos Watchdog’s complaint about the accuracy of the HSE’s advertising campaign that claims 4500 deaths pa from asbestos exposure.

There are two points of view conflicting with each other on health effects of asbestos chrysotile. The anti–asbestos calls global ban of using the fiber and affirm that “no safe threshold for use of all kinds of asbestos“. In contrast, many countries state that asbestos chrysotile can be totally used safely under standardized regulations.