Category: Safe health & environment

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2016/1005 of 22 June 2016 amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards asbestos fibres (chrysotile).

The Concept of implementing the state policy for elimination of asbestos-related diseases until 2020 and further perspectives (hereafter referred to as the Concept) has been developed in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Global plan of action on workers’ health 2008-2017 endorsed at the 60th World Health Assembly (Resolution WHA 60.26 of 23 May 2007) and item 10 of Parma Declaration on Environment and Health adopted by the Ministers and representatives of Member States in the European Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) at the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health (EUR/55934/5.1 Rev.2 of 11 March 2010).

In respect of exploitation, chrysotile exploitation has been prohibited since 2002 but the import activities and use of the chrysotile-containing products have continued. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the United States imported and consumed about 820 metric tons of chrysotile asbestos in the first 7 months of 2010 and this figure was further increased in the following years.

Asbestos-containing materials have been used in the Philippines over the past 60 years; however, the statistics faces numerous difficulties because there is no reliable data source. A draft law was compiled by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 1995, listing the asbestos as one of the chemicals subject to the strict management to prevent, as much as possible, its damage to the human and environment.

Thailand is one of the top asbestos importing countries (the 5th importer of asbestos in the world). The diseases relevant to the asbestos are among the eight occupational diseases covered by an active health surveillance scheme run by the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases. However, most of the scheme’s work has been focused on silicosis and lead poisoning because of a larger target population; and very little information about asbestos-related diseases is available from the scheme.

Vietnam is one of the first countries in the world recognizing the hazard of asbestos to community health at Joint Circular No. 08/TTLB dated 19 May 1976 of Vietnam General Confederation of Labor – Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs on occupational diseases and compensation, benefit paid to employees as victims of occupational diseases. Right after the national unification, the scientific qualification was not high and international information remained limited, this Circular confirmed “asbestosis may be caused by all the works exposed to the asbestos dust”.

The Russian Federation was the largest producer and consumer of chrysotile asbestos in the world from 1886 to 20094 and is now one of the top countries in this field. The point of view of the Russian Government on use of chrysotile is stated in Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, No. 869 dated 31 July 1998. Under which, the Russia says that there is insufficient grounds for the ban by some countries on use of chrysotile and chrsyotile-containing products.

At the end of 2011, Canada remains only two asbestos mines located in Quebec, which are now in suspension of operation. In September 2012, Québécois Parti took the win of election in Quebec province. This Party realized the promise with the electors, i.e. after the new government of Quebec was elected, a credit $58,000,000 to be financed for one of these two mines for its further operation in 20 was cancelled. Then, the Federal Government of Canada notified that they would not oppose to include the asbestos in the list of toxic substances under the Rotterdam Convention.

In Brazil, there are now about 3,000 producers of the asbestos-containing products, mainly used in cement asbestos, friction materials, textile industry, plastic, chemical industries and interior decordations. Pursuant to the Federal law, use of chrysotile asbestos is allowed.

In India, the chrysotile is not banned but must be strictly managed and controlled. The clear reflection of this policy of Indian Government is the judgement of India Supreme Court on 21 January 2011 in relation to the claim of a NGO requesting the ban of using chrysotile, concluding that it is impossible to ban in all forms the use of asbestos, including the chrysotile.