Sadly, it seems to be working. Because asbestos remains
affordable (and available in large quantities), it is especially popular in rapidly
developing nations such as India, China and Brazil. India especially – with
companies on both ends of the spectrum, and an asbestos lobby whose annual
budget tops out at $13 million – faces a difficult battle in its future fight
against asbestos.
Indian Asbestos Imports
In 2010, India spent more than $427 million to import Canadian
asbestos products. (India is one of Canada’s largest asbestos customers.) And
as astounding as that figure is, it only accounts for half of the nation’s
asbestos imports. In total, India imports more than 600,000 tons of asbestos
each year.
India sources asbestos from several other national asbestos
export leaders, including China, South Africa and Russia. India currently stands
as the world’s second largest consumer of asbestos – and some experts believe
that the national market is growing as quickly as 30 percent every year.
Indian asbestos imports are often sent to rural areas, where
they are used in home construction. Shingles, siding and flooring products are
often used for family houses and public buildings – especially in lower-income
areas with access to fewer non-toxic alternatives.
Indian Asbestos Exports
While India is one of the world’s largest asbestos
importers, the country is home to more than 1,000 of its own mines (and
more than 1 million asbestos workers). Indian asbestos mines have operated (or
continue to operate) in cities such as:
·
Alwar
·
Ajmer
·
Pali
·
Udaipur
·
Dungarpur
·
Cuddapah
·
Shimogah
·
Chickmagular
·
Hasan
·
Mysore
·
Mandya
Other smaller mines dot the northern part of the nation.
Here, workers – including many migrants – extract the fibers from mineral
deposits in the ground and prepare it for sale, without access to adequate
respiratory protection.
Asbestos mines aren’t the only part of the industry that
enjoys major success in India. Many companies – such as Visaka Industries –
purchase raw fibers to incorporate into other building products. With more than
400 asbestos cement factories in Gujarat alone, repurposing asbestos into other
exportable products is also a booming trend in the Indian economy.
Faith Franz is a
writer for The Mesothelioma Center.
She likes to spread the word about the benefits of alternative medicine.
Sources:
Simpson, J. (2010). Playing a Dirty Game: Exporting
Asbestos. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved
from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/playing-a-dirty-game-exporting-asbestos/article624675/
Morris, J. (2010). Exporting an Epidemic. The Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved
from http://www.publicintegrity.org/2010/07/21/3401/exporting-epidemic
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