Asbestos-free Europe by 2023?
Despite the European Union's asbestos ban, contaminated materials can be found in public and private buildings, ships, trains and consumer products. During 2010, the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) has delineated its plans to address this situation in presentations at the European Parliament and labor gatherings, in published material and during ongoing consultations with trade unions.1 The EFBWW manifesto on asbestos states:
“There is an urgent need for a comprehensive plan aimed at eliminating all of Europe's remaining asbestos. A plan of this kind would have to be multifaceted, covering such wide-ranging issues as working conditions, safety training, the detection and documentation of existing asbestos and the recognition of occupational diseases and ensuing compensation… To this end a European schedule together with national schedules with intermediate steps and goals, are of the utmost importance.” 2
Calling for coordinated action, the EFBWW is actively collaborating with social partners such as asbestos victims' groups, labor inspectors, civil servants and other stakeholders. Information on the asbestos campaign is available in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Danish, German and Finnish.
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August 13, 2010
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1 http://www.efbww.org/default.asp?Issue=Asbestos%20Campaign&Language=EN
2http://www.efbww.org/pdfs/action%20plan%202023%20gb.pdf
