Voice of Vietnam General Confederation of Labour: There is a need of road map to stop using Chrysotile
Due to its wonderful property such as heat resistance, electric isolation, good duration of abration and low price Chrysotile has been used as raw material for production of many products in construction and heavy industries. Asbestos is used to produce more than 3,000 products namely roof sheet, pipes, wall petition, friction materials, thermal isolation in ships and boilers, accessories of computer, missile, etc. Asbestos has been exploited and used for long time ago but in the past, it has been known for its good properties but not adverse effects.
Giving opinion at the seminar, Mr. Mai Duc Chinh said, even asbestos has a lots of benefits but it also gets much bad effects on human health causing lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, etc. These are recognized by many organizations such as Health Environment Management Agency (MOH), World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Research Agency for Cancer. The developed countries such as USA, Germany, Japan, Australia and EU issued series of directives, regulations which have legislative manner for production and use of asbestos. These countries confirm that all kind of asbestos (white, blue or brown) are carcinogen agents for human and no safety limit in use; the safest method of use for eliminating related-asbestos diseases is to stop using all kind of asbestos.
According to researches of WHO, up to now asbestos has been recognized as one of the most hazardous occupational related – carcinogen agent which cause more than half number of death for occupational cancers. It is estimated that production and use of 170 tons of asbestos bring in at least one death by Mesothelioma. WHO warns that at present there is about 125 million workers exposed to asbestos at workplace and annually there are 107,000 people died for asbestos related diseases including 41,000 for lung cancer, 7,000 for asbestosis and 59,000 for Mesothelioma. Among them, 80% of mesotheliom are asbestos related cases.
Vietnam is in top ten countries uses Chrysotile in the world (annually import about 65,000 to 70,000 tons of Chrysotile) and one of seven in the world in average use by capita. About 90% imported Chrysotile is used for producing roof sheet and 10% is used for other purposes such as manufacturing brake pad, thermal isolating material for boilers, fire resistant fabric, etc.
There are 40 enterprises throughout country producing fibre roof sheet with capacity of 106 million square meter of sheet and employing more than 5,000 people. The working environment in these enterprises are affected by many factors such as dust, exhaust gases, wastewater and solid wastes. However, management of these enterprises does not actively take measures for health care of workers and risk assessment on occupational safety and health; does not regularly have checked health and diagnosis for workers with 5 years of work and more if they often are exposed to asbestos; no enterprises legally enforced to have asbestos dust decontamination after work; these enterprises also do not warn workers about hazards of asbestos and how to avoid its effects; workers are not aware about bad effects of asbestos on their health, ect. All shortages of occupational safety and health management of these enterprises accompanied with the development of construction material industry pose workers to the risk of asbestos related disease. In near future, the symptom of these diseases may not appear because incubation period of disease is rather long, normally from 20 to 30 years, even 50 years while roof sheet industry in Vietnam just is 20 years of age but for long time, it will bring a disaster – a lots of workers will go on pension or move to another workplaces and get diseases; only themselves, their families and society suffer these pain and loses.
In 2007, Vietnam approved Rotterdam Convention on prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides international trade to protect human health and the environment. According to this Convention Blue and Brown asbestos (amosite and crocidolite asbestos) are put into annex III – the toxic chemicals, but not Chrysotile because 7/154 members did not approved, included Vietnam (6 other countries are those who exploit and export asbestos; only Vietnam is imported country). In 2017, the conference of Rotterdam Convention was held in Geneva, Switzerland from 24th April to 5th May, 2017. Vietnam agreed to put Chrysotile into Annex III and action of road map related with chemicals and pesticides in international trade.
At the Conference, the scientists showed the data approving the hazards that cause bad effects not only for workers, the environment but also for those who use asbestos containing materials.
Mr Phillip Hazelton, APHEDA co-ordinator of campaign for elimination of asbestos related diseases said by June, 2017 there has been 65 nations who banned asbestos totally or partly. In 2017, Ukraine continues banning using and importing asbestos; Canada will also totally ban asbestos by 2018. Based on new data of asbestos use with more than 65,000 tons per year, it can be estimated that in 25 coming years Vietnam will have about 300 Mesothelioma per year, 1,200 to 1,800 cases of lung cancer due to expose to Chrysotile. Sharing experience with Vietnamese colleagues, Mr Hazelton believes if Vietnam will ban asbestos by 2020 and push promotion in public about elimination of asbestos containing materials, many casualties will be avoided and save corresponding expenses.
In conclusion of the seminar Mr Mai Duc Chinh emphasized that all contributed opinions will help VGCL Presidium while participating in forming policy on elimination of asbestos – related diseases and road map of stop using Chrysotile in Vietnam based on scientific and practical evidence. Also, VGCL will propose to the Vietnamese government to consider carefully and scientifically steps towards to stop using Chrysotile in 2020 in Vietnam.
(Source: Vnniosh.vn)
