Category: News

16/09/2015 United Kingdom: The Lethal effect of the Mesothelioma act – From ICA – International Chrysotile Association

Based on no scientific evidence, judges ruled in effect that all cases of mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos

26/08/2015 When the Anti – Asbestos lobby crosses the line – From ICA – International Chrysotile Association

14/05/2015 For the fifth time consensus has not been reached at the Rotterdam Convention and Chrysotile will not be listed with banned and severely restricted chemicals – From ICA – International Chrysotile Association

Report from Vietnam Delegations – Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade – 7th meeting

24/07/2015 JAPAN AND AMPHIBOLE ASBESTOS _From ICA – International Chrysotile Association

Russia discussed with Thailand’s MOI to ask for clear answer about asbestos banning due to it concerned of losing market as a major exporter, and the ban also against to trade agreements.

Although asbestos is a known human carcinogen by the inhalation route, available epidemiological studies do not support the hypothesis that an increased cancer risk is associated with the ingestion of asbestos in drinking-water. Moreover, in extensive feeding studies in animals, asbestos has not consistently increased the incidence of tumours of the gastrointestinal tract. There is therefore no consistent, convincing evidence that ingested asbestos is hazardous to health, and it is concluded that there is no need to establish a guideline for asbestos in drinking-water.

If the chrysotile composed pipes and roofing materials are banned in the developed countries, it is obvious that their manufacturers in less developed countries will not benefit from the advantages of the low prices allowed by high volume production which come with the access to the world market, and their products will have therefore to be sold at a higher price. This could result in the elimination of hundreds of thousands jobs! The countries that will be the most hurt by this are in Asia and South America. Will this help the developing countries?

Asbestos means jobs and security to the Quebec where everybody knows its name.

The WHO Secretariat’s recommendation to ban asbestos is inconsistent with the stated policy of the World Health Assembly (WHA), its supreme decision-making body that determines the policies of the WHO.

The WHO’s most senior authority, the World Health Assembly (WHA), decided in 2007 against the banning of chrysotile (White Asbestos). To this day, and contrary to common perception, this resolution remains the official standing policy of both the WHA and the WHO.

Representing the Montreal-based Chrysotile Institute the author attended the 5th Conference of the parties of the Rotterdam convention that deals with the international trade of dangerous chemicals that was held in Geneva, June 20-24.

Geneva, June 22, 2011 – The International Trade Union Movement for Chrysotile, representing hundreds of thousands of workers from the mines, mills and factories that produce chrysotile products, as well as the workers from the companies that support this activity, voice their strong opposition to the inclusion of chrysotile in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention. These workers are primarily from countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, Kazakhstan, Kirghistan, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia, Bolivia.