The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Asbestos exposure at any level is lethal'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Asbestos exposure at any level is lethal'

By Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI, JUNE 28. Responding to the claims of asbestos manufacturers in the country that the industries are only exposing workers to safe levels, experts here claim that there is really no such level of asbestos exposure and that the fine fibres enter the body mainly through breathing causing harm whenever exposed.

"Fibres that cannot be coughed up or breathed out get trapped, causing cancers and irreparable scarring of the lungs. A typical fibre is about 2,000 times thinner than a human hair. It is believed that smaller, thinner, `respirable' fibres are the ones which do the most damage. These fibres are invisible to the naked eye. Some of the small fibres remain in the lower parts of the lung for years. Some work their way through the lung lining inducing cancers,'' warned T.K. Joshi of the Lok Nayak Jaya Prakash Hospital here who has been working in the area of occupational health.

According to experts, to understand the magnitude of the hazard caused by asbestos one needs to look at the completely preventable epidemic of early, painful death and suffering caused by asbestos. In the first part of this Century, at least 30 people died each day of an asbestos related disease as per an estimate in the country.

"The killing effects of asbestos has been known for nearly 100 years, but it is alarming that instead of recommending a ban and isolation of affected workers from dusty areas and suitable pre-placement examination the matter was just left at that. Also, way back in 2001, the Delhi Government was seriously considering imposing a ban on asbestos as there were reports of the substance having hazardous effects on health. No one seems to know what happened to that consideration of the Delhi Government. Also, it is difficult to understand why Union Government has not reacted seriously,'' said environmentalist Gopal Krishan.

While a petition-seeking complete ban on import and use of asbestos has been filed on May5 in the Supreme Court in the backdrop of the incessant campaign of the Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI), experts claim that there is little initiative shown by the government to take any proactive steps.

The matter is also serious because of the magnitude of people affected by this, claim experts. "There are eight-lakh construction workers in Delhi and three-crore construction workers all over the country besides crores of plumbers, carpenters and electricians who are getting exposed to asbestos on a day-to-day basis. But no one seems concerned about their plight besides the hazard it poses to the ordinary citizens. We want an immediate ban on import and use of asbestos and asbestos products, the development of safe procedures for removing asbestos from buildings and for adequate compensation for the victims,'' point out members of BANI.

They add that both the Delhi Government and the Union Government must initiate the process to ban import and use of asbestos without any further delay. They also want the government to look at the various alternatives available that can be used in place of asbestos.

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