New Delhi: Environmental health groups and trade unions from India, US, Japan and Canada have 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 (COEH) at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital, (Delhi Government) experts warned of an epidemic of asbestos related diseases in India.

On September 18, 2004, a United Nations Committee is to meet in Geneva, Switzerland to consider adding white asbestos to a list of hazardous chemicals subject to international trade restrictions.

Earlier when the inclusion of white asbestos was first proposed in November 2003, it was opposed by Indian Government in a manifest double speak because in August 2003, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare had informed the Upper House of the Parliament (Rajya Sabha) that Studies by the National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, have shown that exposure to any type of asbestos can lead to the development of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Although it clearly implied that white asbestos is hazardous and a health hazard, Indian government representatives, astonishingly, objected to the extension of prior-informed consent to cover white asbestos as a material subject to trade control at the Rotterdam Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Convention in Geneva in November 2003.

Given the fact that grant of fresh mining leases and renewal of existing mining leases for asbestos are presently banned in India on health grounds. Import of asbestos waste is banned as a consequence of Basel Convention; Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) appeals to the Indian Government to ratify the PIC treaty, which has, came into force in February 2004.

According to the recent issue International Journal on Occupational and Environmental Health quotes the estimates by the Chennai based The Cancer Research Institute suggesting that 3-4 % of all lung cancers in India are asbestos –related.
Thirty 30 deaths are caused per day from asbestos-related diseases as per estimates based on US and European studies. White asbestos continues to be in use in India although other kinds such as blue and brown asbestos are banned. World over almost forty countries have already banned asbestos.

National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) Chairman C.P. Jain said, thermal power plants are not permitted to use asbestos in their plants. NTPC is the first public sector undertaking to make itself asbestos free. He was chief guest at the conference. He asked, is the concern of the countries, which have banned asbestos not relevant to India?

"Public concern, regulations and liabilities involved have ended the use of asbestos from the developed countries", said Dr Barry Castleman from US, a leading international expert on Environmental health.

Since both blue and white asbestos is hazardous and there is no cure for diseases caused due to asbestos exposure. 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.

It is a conflict between the money of the asbestos industry and the knowledge of the scientific and medical community and there is no doubt that truth will prevail, said Sugio Furuya from Japan who is one of the key organizers of Global Asbestos Congress in Tokyo in November 2004.

Lyle Hargrove, from CAW, the largest private sector union in Canada called for a ban on the production and export of asbestos.

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 among other things. Alarmed at the continuing asbestos usage and the misinformation campaign of the asbestos industry, BANI has launched a public awareness campaign about the hazards of asbestos.