Political Backing for Global Ban Grows
This month scores of European politicians have been urging increased support for a global ban on asbestos. On March 7, 2005, 60 Members of the UK Parliament signed Early Day Motion 837: World-Wide Ban on Asbestos.1 The parliamentarians called on the Government to: “use its presidency of the G8 and the EU to take the lead in pressing for a worldwide ban on all forms of asbestos, because death and disability caused by exposure to these fatal fibres in the developing world increases world poverty.” Ten days later, the Belgian Senate adopted a resolution entitled: Proposition for a Global Ban on the Production and Use of Asbestos;2 the Senators highlighted the fact that although the new use of asbestos has been banned in the European Union, consumption of this carcinogenic substance is increasing elsewhere. The Senators urged the government to:
bring up the need for a global ban at all possible international forums;
propose that our European partners join this campaign;
organize a diplomatic conference in Brussels to debate this issue;
forward the resolution to all governments which have not banned asbestos.
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At a Brussels press conference held on March 16 Senator Alain Destexhe, who first proposed this resolution on March 22, 2004, confirmed that the new Belgian initiative had the backing of Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and Minister of the Environment Bruno Tobback. A comprehensive dossier entitled: Ban Asbestos International, which was made available to journalists, was widely quoted in the national media. Comments made at the press conference by Xavier Jonckheere, the President of the Belgian Asbestos Victims' Group (ABEVA), about the on-going battle for recognition and compensation for asbestos-injured workers, family members and local residents in Belgium were also reported. Mr. Jonckheere said: “The situation (for asbestos victims in Belgium) is catastrophic. We are still waiting for the creation of an indemnization fund and judicial recognition of the concept of inexcusable fault as they have in France.” It is hoped, Senator Destexhe said, that during the next three months civil servants will draw up an action plan. Also in attendance at the press conference was Laurie Kazan-Allen, the Coordinator of the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat who is working closely with the Senator and his colleagues on the global campaign.
An all-party working group of French Senators is conducting a national asbestos audit covering subjects such as: the extent of property and environmental contamination, the human and financial consequences of widespread use and the issue of responsibility. It is expected that the report will be submitted before the current Parliamentary session ends in June, 2005.
Last week, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution naming April 1, 2005 as National Asbestos Awareness Day.3 The successful motion was proposed by Senator Harry Reid at the urging of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), a newly established group which voices the concerns of U.S. asbestos victims. The ADAO has scheduled numerous activities for April 1 to highlight the plight of asbestos victims and raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos exposure; more information can be found on the website: www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org
March 21, 2005
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2 The title in French is: Proposition de résolution visant à une interdiction mondiale de la production et de l'utilisation de l'amiante; Doc. 3-771/1 à 4. The French version can be viewed on the website of the Belgian Senate:
http://www.senate.be/www/?MIval=/Dossiers/DocsVanDos.html&LEG=3&NR=771&LANG=fr
3 U.S. Senate resolution: S.Res.43. This document can be viewed on the web at:
http://www.govtrack.us/data/us/bills.text/109/sr43.pdf
