Indonesian President backs Asbestos Phase-out!
At a meeting with businessmen from the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in central Jakarta on July 31, 2026, the Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto issued a warning about the cancer hazard posed by the use of asbestos roofing.1 Indonesia is the biggest asbestos consumer in southeast Asia, using more every year than all the other countries in the region combined.2 The vast majority of the imported fiber goes into the manufacture of asbestos-cement roofing which is commonly used for low income homes.3 President Subianto recommended that in place of carcinogenic roofing – which is, according to official data, on ~1 in 10 homes nationwide – environmentally friendly and aesthetic building materials such as roof tiles and thatch or palm fiber should be used.
The views of Indonesia’s Ministry of Health align with those of the President as the Ministry also acknowledges the hazardous nature of asbestos roofing, as do the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Environment.4 All of these ministries recommend that asbestos-free roofing should be used to protect Indonesians from exposures to a substance which could cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, ovarian cancer, cancers of the digestive tract and chronic lung disease in the form of asbestosis. Adding impetus to the official warnings, on August 13, 2026 it was reported that Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) had categorized as “uninhabitable” houses with asbestos roofs because they are did not meet building durability criteria and posed a health risk. According to the head of the BPS Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti “the highest percentage of households using asbestos roofs by province are in the Bangka Belitung Islands (56.7%) followed by Jakarta (54.6%).”5
A week after the President’s speech an article was uploaded to the website “en.tempo.co” – “a prominent, independent, and well-respected mainstream news organization in Indonesia” – which fact-checked the claims made on July 31 about asbestos.6 The Tempo text cited a 2026 World Health Organization report which “identified lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with an estimated 2.5 million new cases recorded globally” and explained that asbestos exposure was a known cause of lung cancer. According to the Ministry of Health there were 34,000 new cases of lung cancer in Indonesia in 2023; the mortality rate was up to 88%. It’s believed that 1,600 Indonesians die from asbestos-related diseases every year.7
Civil society groups in Indonesia have been campaigning for increased occupational and public protections from asbestos exposures for more than 20 years. The fact that asbestos-containing roofing is sold in Indonesia without hazard warnings was the basis of a 2023 petition to Indonesia’s Supreme Court by consumer organizations and health advocates. When the Court backed the need for the government to implement mandatory labels in the local language, the Fibre Cement Manufacturers’ Association (FICMA) – the Indonesian asbestos trade association – sued the campaigners. This intimidatory action was unsuccessful: FICMA lost the punitive aspects of the case and failed to demoralize the activists.8
 Picture of civil society campaigners at “Asbestos Retreat” in June 2026. The English translation of the slogan on the large white poster in the background – “Memperkuat Gerakan Penghapusan Penyakit Akibat Asbes di Indonesia” – is “Strengthening the Movement to Eliminate Asbestos-Related Diseases in Indonesia.” Picture courtesy of INA-BAN (Enlarge this image). |
One can but hope that with the President’s support, action on the asbestos hazard in Indonesia will be prioritized at the highest level. Other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) may well choose to follow Indonesia’s lead. Fingers crossed.
August 18, 2026
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1 Dirgantara,A. Damarjati, D. Prabowo Sebut Asbes Bikin Penyakit, Penggunaannya Belum Dilarang Total [Prabowo Says Asbestos Causes Disease; Its Use Is Not Yet Totally Banned]. August 2, 2026.https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2026/08/02/23115231/prabowo-sebut-asbes-bikin-penyakit-penggunaannya-belum-dilarang-total
2 Latest data from Indonesia suggests that annual asbestos consumption is 150,000 tonnes.
3 Bangunan Beratap Asbes Masih Tinggi, Awas Berbahaya terhadap Kesehatan [Buildings with Asbestos Roofs Still High, Beware of Dangers to Health]. July 30, 2026
https://lifestyle.bisnis.com/read/20260730/106/1992462/bangunan-beratap-asbes-masih-tinggi-awas-berbahaya-terhadap-kesehatan
4 Ancaman Mematikan di Balik Atap Murah, Kenapa Asbes Berbahaya? [The Deadly Threat Behind a Cheap Roof, Why Is Asbestos Dangerous?] August 3, 2026.
https://www.cnnindonesia.com/gaya-hidup/20260803064902-255-1387830/ancaman-mematikan-di-balik-atap-murah-kenapa-asbes-berbahaya
5 Asmaaysi, A. BPS: Rumah Beratap Asbes Masuk Tak Layak Huni, Bangka Belitung Tertinggi [BPS:Asbestos-Roofed Houses Ranked Uninhabitable, Bangka Belitung Highest.] August 13, 2026.
https://ekonomi.bisnis.com/read/20260813/47/1996075/bps-rumah-beratap-asbes-masuk-tak-layak-huni-bangka-belitung-tertinggi
6 Fact Check: Are Asbestos and Zinc Linked to Cancer? Prabowo’s Claim Examined. August 7, 2026.
https://en.tempo.co/read/2116916/fact-check-are-asbestos-and-zinc-linked-to-cancer-prabowos-claim-examined
7 Dirgantara, A. Damarjati, D. Prabowo Sebut Asbes Bikin Penyakit, Penggunaannya Belum Dilarang Total [Prabowo Says Asbestos Causes Disease; Its Use Is Not Yet Totally Banned]. August 2, 2026.
https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2026/08/02/23115231/prabowo-sebut-asbes-bikin-penyakit-penggunaannya-belum-dilarang-total
8 Kazan-Allen, L. Report from the Asbestos Frontline: Summer 2026. July 15, 2026.
https://www.ibasecretariat.org/lka-report-from-the-asbestos-frontline-summer-2026.php
