Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) has called for an immediate ban and boycott on asbestos

New Delhi: Activists from India, US, Japan and Canada has called for a ban on all activities relating to mining, manufacture, use and trade in asbestos. At an International Conference on Asbestos Exposure organised by Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, experts deliberated the dangers posed to the human health by asbestos.

"Public concern, regulations and liabilities involved have ended the use of asbestos from the developed countries", said Dr Barry Castleman, one of the key speakers at the session and a leading international expert on Occupational health.

The most vulnerable and affected people are the workers in asbestos manufacturing units who work under extremely hazardous conditions, said M K Pandhe of CITU.

Its a conflict between the money of the asbestos industry and the knowledge of the scientific and medical community, said Sugio Furuya from Japan.

We are optimistic about the fact that ultimately the misinformation campaign of the industry will get defeated and public health hazard due to exposure to asbestos will get exposed, said Dr T K Joshi, director, COEH.

In India asbestos is used in the manufacture of pressure and non-pressure pipes used for water supply, sewage, and drainage, packing material, brake linings and jointing used in automobiles, heavy equipment, nuclear power plants, thermal power plants amongst others. The current demand for asbestos in India is to the tune of 125,000 metric tonnes.

Experts felt that it is high time the government of India worked out a timetable to Ban Asbestos for once and all. Diseases related to asbestos exposure include, asbestosis-an irreversible and progressive lung condition which results from the inhalation of asbestos fibres; Mesothelioma- cancer of the thin membrane enclosing in the lungs; and lung cancer.

According to recent studies in United States there 10, 000 deaths happening due to past asbestos exposure and will cause million more deaths worldwide. This has been corroborated by studies published in British Medical Journal.

Safer substitutes materials are for chrysotile asbestos is available, they should be considered for use, said Dr S.K Agarwal of CBRI.

Alarmed at the continuing asbestos usage, its hazardous consequences and misinformation campaign of the asbestos industry, BANI has launched its public awareness campaign about the hazards of asbestos.

Members of BANI include- Toxics link-Delhi, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti-Gujarat, Mines, Minerals and People-Delhi, Mine Labour Protection Campaign-Rajasthan, Delhi Forum, Banjara Development Society, Greenpeace-Delhi, People’s Training Resource Centre-Gujarat and Occupational Health and Safety Association-Gujarat.