Asbestos Corrugated Cement Sheets are being replaced with other alternative materials in many countries. There is no single product in day to day use at work or at home that needs to be made from or contain deadly asbestos - yet over 3000 workplace and home based products contain this poison. It is possible to eliminate the use of asbestos by redesigning the job or product, or by using another, safer material.
Asbestos fibre has all along been added to cement to increase its elasticity but non-asbestos fibres can be used to do the same job. Alternatively, fibrous cement can be completely replaced by using metal or plastic to form the section.

There is an urgency to bring in Regulations for prevention of exposure from asbestos by substituting it with substances which does not create a risk that is created by asbestos. It should make the use of "safer substitutes" mandatory.

Given the need for developing alternate eco- friendly, energy efficient and cost effective roofing sheets, Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) and Indian Plywood Industries Research & Training Institute (IPIRTI) have jointly developed a technology for manufacturing Bamboo Mat Corrugated Sheets (BMCSs).

BMTPC has been set up by the Government of India as an inter-ministerial apex organisation, under the aegis of the Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment. The Council co-ordinates with various institutions involved in R&D, finance, industrial promotion and housing to promote innovative technologies, scale up proven technologies, materials and products and facilitate establishment of manufacturing/production units.

BMTPC works for the promotion of sound design practices based on local materials and cost effective, innovative technologies, promotion of building materials, components, products and systems based on indigenous raw materials, agro-industrial wastes and cost and energy efficient processes.

BMCS produced at pilot scale facility established at the IPIRTI have been used in several demonstration buildings. The sheets have been found to be resistant to water, fire, decay, termites, insects, etc. They are light but strong and possess high resilience and offer better thermal comforts.

The main raw material for the production of BMCS is bamboo, which is the fastest growing plant and occurs naturally in the forests and is also suitable for plantation even over degraded lands. For manufacturing BMCS, bamboo is to be converted into mats that are hand woven by rural/tribal people, particularly women. Thus, the product is both environment and people friendly.

The conventional building materials like asbestos are hazardous and imperil life. Also dependence on external asbestos materials (from countries like Canada and Russia) harm the local economy and is heavily polluting in nature.

The materials and technologies chosen for construction must, in addition to functional efficiency, fulfil the criterion such as non endanger bio-reserves and be non-polluting; be self-sustaining and promote self-reliance; recycle polluting waste into usable materials; utilise locally available materials; utilise local skills, manpower and management systems; benefit local economy by being income generating; utilise renewable energy sources; be accessible to the people; be low in monetary cost for the cause of sustainability and a better quality environment.

India is primarily an agricultural country. In the absence of organised data, exact estimates of the agricultural wastes such as bagasse, banana leaves and stalks, saw mill waste, sisal fibre, rice husk, jute stalk etc., are not available, but their availability in the country is more than 500 million tonnes per year.

The building materials industry can utilise these wastes in a wide range of applications, many of which can serve as asbestos substitutes. By their very nature, fibrous wastes along with suitable binders under pressure are eminently suitable for making several kinds of insulation boards, panels and roofing sheets. These products can be strong, lightweight and also find aesthetic acceptance.The greatest strength of manufactured fibres is that often the diameter of fibre can be made so they are not respirable

Other asbestos alternatives include Manufactured inorganic fibres. The greatest strength of manufactured fibres is that often the diameter of fibre can be made so they are not respirable. Manufactured organic fibre such as Kevlar (para-aramid) fibre. The size of the fibre is easily controlled and it has qualities of toughness and thermal insulation. Not commonly encountered as it has limited, specialist uses.
Also Polyvinylalcohol (PVA) Fibres which do not readily split into finer fibres. PVA fibres, of the diameters used commercially, are unlikely to pose a significant risk of the diseases which have been associated with durable respirable fibres.

Substitutes for asbestos are constantly being developed. In nutshell, substitutes include man-made fibers such as:

fibrous glass
mineral wool
ceramic fibers
other naturally occurring fibers such as wollastonite,
and non-fibrous minerals such as vermiculite or mica.
Non-asbestos friction materials are currently being used (where asbestos is banned) in disc brake pads, and substitutes are being developed for drum brake linings. Primary substitutes include

semi-metallic materials for disc brakes
and non-asbestos organics (e.g., fiberglass, para-aramid, mineral fibers, steel wool and fibers, and resins) for drum brakes.
These and other materials are being developed as substitutes for asbestos in other products.

Our research institutions have developed a large number of alternate materials and constructions systems, based on utilisation of agro-industrial wastes which otherwise cause severe environmental problems. Government should promote these materials instead of encouraging killer fibers of asbestos.