International Experts Call for Asbestos Ban

International experts convened at the second Asian Ban Asbestos Conference to encourage nations to ban the mining and exporting of asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral with fire-retardant properties which is also connected to mesothelioma cancer.

Experts appearing at the conference in Jaipur, India highlighted the dangers that exposure has on human health. Health officials and victims of asbestos exposure spoke in the effort to heighten the awareness that asbestos is dangerous.

Over 70 doctors, lawyers, asbestos victims and activists from 15 different countries spoke about the need to ban asbestos worldwide. Asbestos is known to cause a range of pulmonary ailments including asbestosis and mesothelioma. Because of the dangers, mesothelioma attorneys in the U.S and U.K. have been able to settle large lawsuits against companies that knowingly put the health of workers in danger.

Many western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom banned the prevalent use of asbestos in the late 80s, but in Asian countries, especially India, the material is still used in residential and commercial buildings. There are few regulations in place, which protect laborers from the adverse effects of asbestos exposure in many if these countries.

The toil of victims and mesothelioma lawyers have led to strict regulations placed the handling and use of asbestos in most western nations. But despite this, asbestos is still mined in North America and shipped to the countries that don’t have strict policies dictating the safe use of the mineral.

Cases of mesothelioma and asbestosis are on the decline in the US, but there are still a large number of victims that could use the help of a mesothelioma attorney. Asbestos ailments are projected to rise in Asian nations unless the voices of people are heard and asbestos is banned.