Launch of Farsi Translation of Killing the Future
Since the English language version of Killing the Future – Asbestos Use in Asia (http://ibasecretariat.org/ktf_web_fin.pdf) was published in July 2007, the text has been translated into Japanese, Chinese and Bengali.2 In June 2010, the Farsi version was published in Tehran. The text, which has been translated by Drs. Ramin Mehrdad and Omid Kheirkhah, is being circulated amongst the medical community and academics at the University of Medical Sciences and will shortly be uploaded to the website of the World Asbestos Report. [Ed. After a number of years on the afforementioned website the four translated versions have now been uploaded to the IBAS website – November 2020.]
When the English text was first written, information on asbestos issues in Iran could not be accessed. Through research conducted by Dr. Mehrdad, details have emerged which have enabled a new chapter on Iran to be written for the Farsi publication (See: English version of this chapter):
“In Iran, asbestos has most commonly been used for the manufacture of building materials. The second largest application has been asbestos-cement pipes such as those which form the 5,000 kilometer water delivery network. The manufacture of brake and clutch systems are the 3rd largest followed by the use of small amounts of asbestos fiber in products such as fireproof cloths, insulation materials and gaskets…
During 2005, 55 cases of mesothelioma were reported by Iranian pathologists … Also in 2005, 1,764 cases of various types of lung cancer were reported to the Cancer Registry, of which 341 were adenocarcinoma…we could find no official data on asbestosis prior to 2004. In 2004, 2005 and 2006, the total number of asbestosis cases registered were 144, 250 and 10, respectively.”
Speaking about the publication of the Farsi version of this document, Dr. Ramin Mehrdad commented:
“In Iran, the use of chrysotile asbestos is still legal and there are many factories and workshops where, unfortunately hazardous exposures take place. Ignorance of the asbestos hazard is widespread amongst workers, medical professionals, civil servants, industrialists and consumers. For this reason, Dr. Omid Kheirkhah and I were delighted to facilitate the publication of the Farsi version of this important text. Our hope is that raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos will result in Iran taking steps to ban its import and use.”
August 1, 2010