Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Asbestos is a natural fibrous mineral that is found throughout the world and has been mined since the 1860’s.  Asbestos is an excellent insulator and is very fire and chemical resistant, and therefore was widely used in industry and construction for many years.   Despite these useful properties, asbestos was discovered to cause serious illnesses, such as mesothelioma, an incurable cancer, and is either highly regulated or has been banned in most developed countries.   

Many scientists, doctors and asbestos rights groups have been calling for a total global ban on asbestos due to the known health risks involved with exposure.  The current issue of the Environmental Health Perspectives also calls for a global ban on both the mining and use of asbestos.  

The group of international researchers noted that  all forms of asbestos are now banned in 52 countries and that safer products have replaced many materials that once were made with it. Despite this, and the clear evidence that exposure leads to illness and death, many countries still use, import, and export asbestos and asbestos-containing products.  Even in countries where asbestos use is supposedly banned, the so-called “controlled use” of chrysotile asbestos is often exempted and yet it creates the same risk of illness. In fact, chrysotile has accounted for more than 95% of all the asbestos used globally.

The team of researchers met with the goal to examine and evaluate the literature used to support the exemption of chrysotile asbestos from the ban and how its exemption reflects the political and economic influence of the asbestos mining and manufacturing industry.

The research team found all forms of asbestos, including chrysotile, cause malignant mesothelioma and lung and laryngeal cancers, and evidence even it shows it may cause ovarian, gastrointestinal, and other cancers. No exposure to asbestos is without risk. Illnesses and deaths from asbestos exposure are entirely preventable.  However the only real protection is to avoid all exposure to airborne asbestos.

The researchers concluded that “all countries of the world have an obligation to their citizens to join in the international endeavor to ban the mining, manufacture, and use of all forms of asbestos. An international ban is urgently needed. There is no medical or scientific basis to exempt chrysotile from the worldwide ban of asbestos.”