Category: News

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.

The Public Health analysis confirms the conclusions of several other studies: Very low risk to the population!

New studies presented by South African and Greek scientists prove chrysotile asbestos not to be a trigger of cancer as far as the occupational and natural chrysotile asbestos exposition is concerned.

The result of health examination and radiography testing for 564 workers of chrysotile asbestos roof sheet manufactures conducted by Construction Hospital in 2008 showed that chrysotile does not cause asbestosis (Construction Hospital).

Asbestos is a commercial term to indicate any fibrous mineral with a fibrous form. In fact, there are many types of asbestos fibers which are divided into two families: the serpentine and the amphiboles. The serpentine variety is curly, included of chrysotile asbestos (or white asbestos), most commonly used for industrial purposes in more than 100 countries. Other asbestos fibers, from the amphibole family, are very straight and needle-like included of amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite. The amphiboles are deemed to cause lung cancer.