Press Release
WHO
calls for ban on all forms of asbestos to avoid health catastrophe
Incurable
diseases from asbestos dust fibers as fatal as AIDS, Union Labour Secretary
DGFASLI
reveals 36 out of 1000 workers suffer from asbestos related diseases
Government urged to pursue continued technical ban on asbestos mining
New Delhi, Dec 8, 2012: On the concluding day of
the 3-day International Meet on
Climate, The Workplace and the Lungs," World Health Organisation (WHO)
called for ban on all forms of asbestos to avoid health catastrophe because all types of asbestos cause lung cancer,
mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis (fibrosis of the
lungs).
In the presentations Ms Lesley Onyon and Prof. Ivan Ivanov of WHO underlined that “the most efficient way to eliminate
asbestos-related diseases is to stop the use of all types of asbestos”. The
officials from WHO suggested solutions for replacing asbestos with safer
substitutes and developing economic and technological mechanisms to stimulate
its replacement. They recommended measures to prevent exposure to asbestos in
place and during asbestos removal (abatement) and improvement in early
diagnosis, treatment, social and medical rehabilitation of asbestos-related
diseases and to establish registries of people with past and/or current
exposures to asbestos. Both Ms Lesley
Onyon and Prof. Ivan Ivanov made their presentations during the
conference on December 8 and December 7.
In his valedictory
address, Union Labour Secretary, Dr Mrutunjay Sarangi expressed worry about
incurable diseases caused by past exposure to asbestos dust fibers which are as
fatal as AIDS.
Praavesh Jugnundan, the
Physician from Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc.
categorically stated that there is no treatment for asbestos related diseases
and the damages to the lungs are irreversible. It causes a horrible death from
a horrible disease because the victim cannot breath. He dies of suffocation. In
order to get rid of exposure, one has to get rid of asbestos. Since controlled
use of asbestos is not working. We have to eliminate asbestos.
Prof. Carol Rice,
Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, USA underlined
that the relationship between asbestos exposure and disease has been well
documented.
Earlier, in her presentation
Dr Linda S Birnbaum, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences and National Toxicology Program, USA stated that asbestos fibers and
all commercial forms of asbestos are human carcinogens. Increased rates of
mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lining of the lung and abdominal cavity, and
cancer of the lung, cancers of laryngeal, kidney and ovaries. Asbestos exposure
increases the risk for systemic autoimmune diseases. Exposure to asbestos while
in military is also an independent risk factor. It can also cause rheumatoid
arthritis. She noted that asbestos related cancer was reported in 1935.
Dr. R.B. Raidas, Deputy Director General, Directorate General of Factory
Advice Service & Labour Institutes. (DGFASLI) revealed that 36 out of 1000
workers have been found to be suffering from asbestos related diseases. He
revealed that DGFASLI had studied some 8, 000 workers and found that some 228
workers were exposed. But he expressed his ignorance about whether they have
been compensated.
The study of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) recommending lifting of
technical ban on asbestos mining which was quoted by the Union Mines Minister on
November 23, 2012 in the Parliament was denounced at the conference. Prof.
Arthur Frank, a Drexel
University and Chair School of
Public Health referred to
study as an act of condemning the workers and their families to death.
The mining of asbestos endangers
not only the people working at the mine but also the people living in the communities
nearby the mine who will be exposed to elevated levels of airborne asbestos. Asbestos-related
diseases occur among general public as well, Gopal Krishna of ToxicsWatch
Alliance contended and sought a recommendation against such proposed steps of
the Ministry of Mines from the conference.
It was revealed at the conference that
in a study done in the matter of shipbreaking industry some 30 workers found
suffering asbestos related diseases. Neither the names of these workers have
not been revealed nor have they been compensated. Dr H N Saiyed, former Director,
National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad stated that paying
compensation to the victims of asbestos related diseases is a long process. He
added, asbestos does not have a threshold limit. The best way to stop the diseases
is to stop its use. Politicians are hiding behind absence of data which is not
being collected. The fact remains that NIOH studies in the recent past has admittedly
been co-sponsored by the asbestos industry. In pursuance of a direction of the
Supreme Court, the study in the shipbreaking had found that 16 % of the workers
were suffering asbestos exposure but anonymous sources had revealed that the
real figure was around 60-65 % but the same was downplayed to avoid panic.
The conference
happened at Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi organised by Centre for
Occupational and Environmental Health in partnership with Drexel University,
School of Public Health, Collegium Ramazzini, Ministry of Environment &
Forests, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India and Heart of
England, NHS Foundation Trust.
In a related development, Laurie Kazan-Allen, Coordinator of International Ban Asbestos
Secretariat (IBAS) has sent a letter on December 7, 2012 to the Indian Minister
of Mines and Secretary, R H Khwaja, Union Ministry of Mines saying, “There is
no such thing as “safeguards” when it comes to mining, using, working or living
with asbestos. Such is the position taken by all reputable international
agencies including the World Health Organization, the International Labor
Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the
International Commission on Occupational Health all of which believe that
banning the use of asbestos is the only sure way to protect human beings from
the dangers of asbestos.[1]
She added, India is the world’s biggest importer
of asbestos and the world’s second biggest consumer of asbestos having
used around 321,803 tonnes of chrysotile asbestos in 2011. The situation
in India has been described by Indian and international experts as a ticking
“time bomb.”[2] IBAS urged the
Government of India to uphold the previous decision which shut down asbestos
mining operations as well as progress plans to phase-out asbestos use
throughout India as has been done in more than fifty countries around the
world.
For Details:
Gopal Krishna, Convener, ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA) Mb: 9818089660, Email:krishna1715@gmail.com
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