A previous government ban on the sale of crocidolite and amosite asbestos has not stopped sheets of the building material from being sold on the black market.
It is predicted that between 70 and 90 percent of the homes in
However, if an asbestos survey is conducted by a person not properly trained, the presence of asbestos may be missed, putting many at risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease. If the building is demolished without the removal of any asbestos, the airborne fibers could be released and inhaled by workers or those living close to the demolition site.
Exposure to asbestos can lead to a number of diseases including asbestosis and mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer. However, due to a long latency period, the disease can take up to fifty years to be diagnosed. The majority of mesothelioma cancer patients will lose their battle with this particularly aggressive disease in less than two years following diagnosis, and mesothelioma treatment methods, such as chemotherapy, are only a means of temporary means of controlling pain and symptoms.
The Head of the Environment Department at Dubai Municipality, Hamdan Al Shaer, stated that he was not aware of anyone selling asbestos on the black market but wants to remind the public that the sale of asbestos is illegal. Penalties for violating the regulations on asbestos include fines and possible imprisonment.
Ed Ferrero, the senior manager at GTS Holdings in
In an effort to strengthen regulations, the Dubai Municipality has passed a local law where officials have the ability to check if a survey and asbestos abatement have been completed on a structure prior to granting a permit for demolition.
In addition, while there are bans against asbestos building sheets, other asbestos products, such as water pipes, are still legal. Asbestos can also be found in many floor tiles and wallpaper. Unfortunately for the government, the low cost of the material makes it appealing to many who are constructing low-cost buildings. Without stricter regulations asbestos will continue to be used in the construction of many homes in Dubai.
In January of this year, Maneks Gandhi, a well-known politician and environmental campaigner, told the media that the Indian government’s policy on asbestos “needs to be changed” and that India “must stop being the junkyard of the world.”
Gandhi also went on to stress her displeasure at the government, which does not provide compensation of any kind to Indian victims of asbestos-related diseases, such as asbestos cancer.
India is tied with Russia as the largest importer of Canadian-mined asbestos. Although crocidolite and amosite asbestos are banned in India, chrysotile asbestos is not. At the 2008 Rotterdam Convention, held in Rome, Italy, a motion to also ban chrysotile asbestos was denied, and convention officials stated that Canada, Russia, and India are responsible for a “lack of progress” in regards to their asbestos-related regulations.
Canada has been denounced by the World Health Organization (WHO) for their lack of responsibility, but the Chrysotile Institute, located in Montreal, stand by their decision to export the potentially harmful mineral.
Sources:
Khaleej Times
The Chrysotile Institute
Mesothelioma.com
