Abstract Archive

In preventing the listing of chrysotile as a hazardous substance, Russia and Zimbabwe, with the active support of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Vietnam and India have smashed through procedures and ignored rules to progress the financial interests of national asbestos stakeholders. Calls are now being made for the United Nations Environment Programme to create a new forum within which this issue can be resolved, along the lines of instruments such as the Mercury Convention or the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. There is also a growing resolve among developing countries to take unilateral action to deal with the asbestos hazard. [Read full article]

Rotterdam Convention Conference of the Parties (COP6): Day 3

May 9, 2013

During the morning plenary session, the President of the Convention asked the Parties which opposed listing of chrysotile to confirm their final positions following discussions that had taken place during the week. Russia, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, India and Kazakhstan confirmed their vetoes on including chrysotile in Annex III. A few well-resourced stakeholders had succeeded in trashing the basic premise of a UN protocol intended to protect at-risk populations. But wide support for a statement from the Australian delegation, highlighting the untenability of the arguments against listing, showed the overwhelming desire of most Parties to designate chrysotile a hazardous substance. [Read full article]

Rotterdam Convention Conference of the Parties (COP6): Day 2

May 8, 2013

Delegates arriving for the second day of the conference were greeted by a pile of glossy asbestos industry propaganda magazines which had been translated into English. Entitled "People For Chrysotile" they extolled the health-giving benefits of all things chrysotile. By contrast, an asbestos side-event in the afternoon provided anti-asbestos campaigners with an opportunity to inform delegates of the asbestos reality in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Discussions amongst activists and delegates revealed a palpable loss of patience; not only with the seven parties which are holding the Convention to ransom but also with the Convention itself, which is looking increasingly discredited. [Read full article]

Rotterdam Convention Conference of the Parties (COP6): Day 1

May 7, 2013

Today the asbestos tribes gathered in the plenary room at the International Conference Centre in Geneva. The representatives of the asbestos industry were out en masse; some were included in official government delegations, others present as observers. Representing civil society was a coalition of groups and interests gathered under the umbrella of the Rotterdam Convention Alliance (ROCA). ROCA delegates came from all parts of the world and had a wide range of languages and experience of high-level international gatherings. All of them were determined to see chrysotile asbestos listed on Annex III of the Convention. [Read full article]

Ready, Steady, Go

May 7, 2013

Fund-raising efforts by the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ADSA) yielded more than $100,000 for Australian researchers in 2012. These donations were generated by the Society's inaugural Charity Walk for Wittenoom Children in May and a golfing competition in October. This year the ADSA community aims to raise even more research dollars for projects targeting deadly asbestos diseases such as malignant pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. On May 12, dozens of ADSA volunteers will gather in Dunsborough to prepare for the Monday start to this year's walk. Public support at home and abroad is urgently requested. [Read full article]

Global Appeal to Brazilian President

May 3, 2013

From all corners of the globe, requests are arriving on the desk of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff. They come from people with first-hand experience of the humanitarian catastrophe caused by exposure to asbestos. Although the contents of these messages are in different languages, their request is the same: Brazil should support UN action to regulate the global trade in asbestos. Brazil has announced it will abstain during a crucial vote at the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention next week. Civil society at home and abroad is urging President Rousseff to prioritize human health over Brazilian exports. [Read full article]

Turkey Marks International Workers Memorial Day

May 2, 2013

April 28, 2013 was the occasion for Turkish activists and victims to mark International Workers Memorial Day. A public demonstration, street rally and workshop were held to highlight the price paid by Turkish workers for their employers' negligence. As part of the activities, the first public workshop on asbestos took place at the Turkish Medical Association. Speakers at this session highlighted the lack of government engagement with the asbestos issue; this is revealed by a total lack of information on the incidence of asbestos disease, the presence of asbestos products within the built environment and the location of asbestos dump sites. [Read full article]

Activists Challenge Russian Asbestos Stakeholders

Apr 26, 2013

The world's first demonstration denouncing Russia's asbestos policy took place in London earlier today in the run-up to International Workers' Memorial Day. With bells, whistles, a megaphone, masks, hazmat suits and banners the protest was a colourful and vibrant affair. The good-natured event drew attention to the global impact of Russia's asbestos industry. "Selling deadly asbestos to people in developing countries is," one speaker said, "an abomination." Russia, the world' biggest supplier of chrysotile asbestos, is now the focus of activities by ban asbestos activists determined to outlaw the production, use and sale of asbestos. [Read full article]

The Rotterdam Convention 2013

Apr 18, 2013

From April 28 to May 10, 2013, the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP6) to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade will take place in Geneva. For the fourth time, a recommendation will be tabled that chrysotile asbestos be included in a designated list of hazardous chemicals (Annex III) which are subject to a legally enforceable right-to-know regime. The background to this recommendation, the forces which are engaged by this debate and the possible outcome of the upcoming meeting are examined in this article. [Read full article]

Asbestos Life and Death in Australia

Apr 15, 2013

A series of events transpired last month which highlighted the asbestos tragedy unfolding in Australia, a country which embraced the use of asbestos for over 50 years. As news was released in Perth of the asbestos cancer contracted by Ernie Bridge, a much-loved political figure, in Canberra, the formation of the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency was being announced. The Agency will coordinate a National Strategic Plan designed to "minimise exposure to asbestos fibres, in order to eliminate asbestos-related disease in Australia." A deadline of 2030 has been set for the removal of asbestos from all government and public buildings. [Read full article]

International Workers Memorial Day 2013

Apr 10, 2013

With more than 100,000 occupational deaths from asbestos-related diseases every year, it is little wonder that the call to ban asbestos has featured prominently in global activities on International Workers' Memorial Day (IWMD), April 28. Two years ago, the Manila-based Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development's Asbestos Street Fighters Street Art Competition generated a high degree of public awareness of the asbestos hazard. This year an Italian coalition of campaigning groups is poised to launch a striking series of images for IWMD to ensure that the asbestos hazard remains a priority issue on the political agenda. [Read full article]

Launch of Italian Asbestos Plan

Apr 10, 2013

In response to a public health emergency, the Italian Government has launched a National Asbestos Plan. Tens of millions of euros have been provided for medical, epidemiological, clinical, environmental and technical research to address the consequences of asbestos contamination. Work is proceeding on new diagnostic and treatment protocols for patients with malignant mesothelioma. Experts from the University of Alexandria and the University of Turin are collaborating on plans to create an organizational model to provide a continuum of care for the injured. Research on risk assessment, health surveillance, genetic susceptibility and the efficacy of biomarkers is also being progressed. [Read full article]

Civic Reception for Liverpool Group

Apr 8, 2013

Snow flurries did not deter supporters of the Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support Group (MAVSG) from turning out on March 22, 2013 to commemorate the Group's 20th anniversary in the presence of local dignitaries at Liverpool Town Hall. The MAVSG started life as the Liverpool and District Victims of Asbestos Support Group in March 1993 when a small group of local campaigners met to formulate a response to Liverpool's growing asbestos tragedy. Since then, the Group has worked with UK and international colleagues to improve conditions for victims and to campaign for an end to asbestos use around the world. [Read full article]

Asbestos and Women's Health Reflections on International Women's Day

Mar 9, 2013

Ever since the commercial exploitation of asbestos began, the disastrous impact of hazardous exposures on female health has led to an epidemic of asbestos-related disease and death. On Women's Day 2013, the consequences of these exposures for female workers, relatives and members of the public in the UK and abroad are explored. Mentioned in the context of this discussion are British women whose names have become synonymous with the national asbestos scandal including Nellie Kershaw, Nora Dockerty, June Hancock and Gina Lees. The fate of female victims from Brazil, Korea and Japan is also considered. [Read full article]

What is going on in Kazakhstan?

Mar 7, 2013

According to the most recently released data on global asbestos trends, in 2011 national asbestos consumption was highest in: China (637,735 tonnes), India (321,803 tonnes), Russia (251,427 tonnes), Brazil (185,332 tonnes) and Kazakhstan (155,166 tonnes). Nothing extraordinary about this, is there? Well, yes there is. Taking a more in-depth look at the figures for Kazakhstan, a startling situation is revealed: per capita, Kazakhstan uses twice as much asbestos as Sri Lanka and Russia, the second and third highest per capita asbestos users in the world. The implications of this finding are discussed in this article. [Read full article]

Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support Group

Mar 7, 2013

The 20th anniversary of the Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support Group (MAVSG), formerly known as the Liverpool and District Victims of Asbestos Support Group, has been commemorated by a feature in the current issue of the British Asbestos Newsletter. The article quotes long-time health and safety campaigner Rory O'Neill who says: "MAVSG has been crucial in supporting the local community and in securing improved rights and treatment for asbestos victims nationwide." Other commentators describe how MAVSG works locally, nationally and globally to support asbestos victims and lobbies for improved medical treatments and access to financial support for the injured. [Read full article]

Russia's Olympic Asbestos Policy

Mar 1, 2013

Russia, the world's leading producer of asbestos, is a year away from holding the XXII Winter Olympic Games. Despite extensive press coverage of the ongoing preparations, no one was willing to speak openly about whether or not asbestos is being incorporated into the Olympic infrastructure. An enquiry by IBAS has revealed that the use of asbestos has been banned by official government policy enshrined in The Green Standards. If this is so, then it marks a historic precedent for a country which advocates asbestos use the world over. The situation in Brazil, another major asbestos producer, regarding the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics is also discussed. [Read full article]

First Conference of Asbestos Information Bodies

Feb 26, 2013

The First International Conference of Asbestos Information Bodies took place in London in 1971. A relatively small attendance belied the importance of this meeting as shown by a report, obtained through the discovery process, recently uploaded to the IBAS website. Presentations made during the conference laid the groundwork for a global propaganda campaign which was to bring so much success to asbestos shareholders in the later part of the 20th century and so much death to people exposed to asbestos at work or at home. Anyone interesting in understanding how a known carcinogen can be sold and used in the 21st century, would be well advised to read this report. [Read full article]

Report from the Asbestos Frontline 2013

Feb 26, 2013

Last week, 143 scientists and organizations from around the world vehemently condemned efforts by an asbestos lobbying group - the International Chrysotile Association - to derail plans to ban asbestos in Pakistan. Research has also documented aggressive moves by industry stakeholders in Peru, where an October 2013 deadline had been set to ban the use of chrysotile asbestos. A document uploaded to the internet for the first time by IBAS reveals that the current measures being pursued and the defense strategy being wielded to protect global asbestos markets were devised over 40 years ago when representatives of the asbestos industry met in London. [Read full article]

Fire at Asbestos Factory: Public Concerns

Feb 19, 2013

At 3 a.m. on Friday Feb. 15, a fire broke out at the old Turner & Newall asbestos factory in Rochdale. The building most affected by the blaze had for decades been at the center of asbestos textile manufacturing operations at the plant. For this reason, it is thought that asbestos contamination in this section was likely to have been elevated. A local group - Save Spodden Valley (SSV) - has been campaigning for proper remediation of this 72-acre site for several years. A SSV press release raises a number of serious concerns regarding public health ramifications of the fire. Another Rochdale Group backing calls for full disclosure will tonight hold an emergency meeting to discuss future actions. [Read full article]

Action on Asbestos Contamination

Feb 11, 2013

The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims (ARIAV), a Hong Kong-based NGO, has been campaigning on asbestos issues for over 20 years. Since the beginning of this year, they have: reported on the illegal dumping of asbestos waste in rural areas; highlighted unsafe asbestos removal working practices in Hong Kong; engaged in discussions with personnel from the Environmental Protection Department; and raised asbestos awareness in the construction sector amongst people working with asbestos fireproof carpets. An ARIAV report on these activities is informative. [Read full article]

French Asbestos Travesty

Feb 11, 2013

On February 8, 2013, the Paris Court of Appeal dismissed the criminal case against Claude Chopin, the owner of a company which operated an asbestos textile factory in the town of Clermont-Ferrand. Chopin had been indicted in 1999 on charges of poisoning and murder. The Court of Appeal decision found that as it was not possible to establish that the hazardous exposures which resulted in the asbestos diseases suffered by the claimants took place whilst Chopin was in charge; there is "no prima facie case." The asbestos claimants and their legal representatives are appalled at this decision and vow to continue the campaign for asbestos justice, a campaign which began in 1974. [Read full article]

Europe to Enter Post-Asbestos Era?

Feb 7, 2013

Despite the progress represented by the 1999 EU directive outlawing asbestos use, the fact that regulations allowed derogations to persist was, critics said, unacceptable. Under EU law the use of chrysotile asbestos was permitted for existing electrolysis installations in chlorine production facilities. Deadlines for reviewing this exemption came and went and still no action was taken. By June 1, 2011, Member States were mandated to report the status quo related to the derogation in their countries to the Commission. A letter written by European Commissioners on Jan. 18, 2013 may provide grounds for optimism regarding the end of this exemption. [Read full article]

The Lancet Highlights IARC Controversy

Feb 1, 2013

Towards the end of last year (2012), disturbing reports were circulating about a controversial research initiative mounted by personnel from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and Russian scientists with proven links to asbestos vested interests. An investigation by The Lancet, published today (February 1, 2013) provides information about this problematic research project and reveals that discussions regarding this project began at about the same time that the Russian Federation agreed to resume financial contributions to IARC. A series of recent occurrences beneficial to the asbestos lobby is discussed. [Read full article]

Eternit and the Great Asbestos Trial: Appeal Proceedings

Jan 31, 2013

Further Hearings will commence on February 14, 2013 in the case which has become known as the "Great Asbestos Trial." Hundreds of pages of legal argument submitted to the Turin Court challenge first degree guilty verdicts handed down one year ago by a three-judge panel to defendants Stephan Schmidheiny and Baron Louis de Cartier. Neither one of the former asbestos executives, both of whom were convicted for their part in the causation of an Italian asbestos disaster, has complied with court orders to pay compensation to thousands of victims, associations, municipal authorities and civic bodies. [Read full article]