Graphics: Charts and Maps1
[Update: February 2020 (earlier updates are shown below chart thumbnails)
The USGS has still not released global asbestos fiber usage data beyond 2016, so we are unable to produce three-year averages of consumption beyond 2014 (the next datapoint was to be 2016, where consumption was to be represented as the average of 2015 to 2017 data). However, we have extended the regional bar chart to include "unaveraged" data for 2016; also the map showing global asbestos consumption (2016) and bans has been redrawn to show bans as of October 2019. While there has been a dearth of consumption figures from the USGS, they have continued to publish annual production estimates. Accordingly, we have added charts showing production in 2017 to 2019 using the latest USGS data currently available.]
The production and consumption data used in the following charts and maps (click on titles or thumbnails for full-size images) are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports.2 (In presenting these reports the USGS draws attention to the fact that the accuracy of data is no better than to three significant digits and that there are sometimes difficulties in obtaining trade statistics from some countries in a timely manner.) In the case of asbestos producer countries there are often erratic fluctuations of apparent consumption from year to year; some current production may be stockpiled or exports made from accumulated stock. For consumers, stockpiling can also occur and the timing of large shipments can skew the annual apparent consumption figures. To address this problem, in our more recent compilations (shown first), we have tried to obtain smoother representations of trends by averaging data over three year intervals, then applying these average values to the "midpoint years."
| Trends in Asbestos Fiber Use – Bar Chart (2000-2016) and Graphs (2000-2014): | ||||
Regional Usage |
Highest 6 Usage |
Highest 8 Usage |
Traded Usage (1) |
Traded Usage (2) |
Producer vs User |
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| Maps showing Global Asbestos Usage and Bans3: | ||||
2000 |
2012 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 (bans 2019) |
2000 and 2016 |
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| Global Asbestos Fiber Consumption Pie Charts: | ||||
1950 |
1980 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
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| Global Asbestos Fiber Production Pie Charts: | ||||
1950 |
1980 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
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(Update: January 2019)
The asbestos usage and ban map for 2016 has been uploaded. This represents provisional USGS usage data for 2016 and the IBAS list of countries which have banned asbestos as of December 31, 2018. Following the revisions to USGS data discussed below there has been considerable delay in the further release of USGS global asbestos usage and production data, so we have not been able to update other graphical objects on this page reliant on data beyond 2015.
(Update: April 2018)
Recently, the USGS has released drastic revisions of their estimates of asbestos fiber production and usage for the years 2012 to 2015. The new data are included in (Excel xlsx file) 2016 - Advance Data Release, which draws on data available up to September 2017; significantly, this document shows a dramatic fall in global asbestos production, and consumption (for a discussion of the USGS revisions see new article: Dramatic Fall in Asbestos Production). The changes principally affect estimates for asbestos producing countries but include some significant changes elsewhere. Accordingly, we have amended our pie charts for 2012-2015 and some graphs revealing trends in asbestos consumption to reflect the new data (several new charts have also been added). While some charts on this page have been only minimally affected by the USGS revisions and the maps not at all, the production and consumption tables (which first appeared in an article written in 2014, and draw on unrevised data for 2012 and 2013) have been removed.
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1In 2012 we compiled a number of charts for a presentation in Paris entitled "Charting the Changing Pattern of Asbestos Production and Use 1950-2012." Since that time (for other presentations and articles), we have updated these charts and produced additional graphical material.
2Recent asbestos consumption and production estimates as well as historical asbestos data are available from the USGS website: https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/asbestos/, principally under the heading "Minerals Yearbook."
For an account of recent developments see: Dramatic Fall in Asbestos Production and also the earlier article: Latest Global Asbestos Data (written in November 2014 and revised in January 2015, this article makes reference to USGS data which have recently (2018) been significantly revised).
3Ban countries are taken to be those on the IBAS ban list at the time the map was uploaded. Up to 2015 this was generally September or October following the specified year; from 2016 onwards the date applicable to ban information is specified explicitly.
February 27, 2020
