Should there be a WorldWide Asbestos Ban?
With more than three decades of documented evidence that asbestos can cause devastating illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, it’s difficult to understand why asbestos mining continues.
Since 1989, the United States has banned all new uses of asbestos. In addition 52 countries, including all members of the European Union, have banned all forms of asbestos. Even so, over two million tons of asbestos are mined annually, and almost all countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa continue to use asbestos. In developing countries there is often little protection for those that work with or use asbestos products. This can only lead to tragic, yet preventable illnesses and losses for future generations.
In Brussels, a recent report calls for an urgent, worldwide ban on the mining and use of asbestos. It argues that there is no safe use of asbestos that can prevent occupational and environmental exposure and urges all countries to use safer alternatives to asbestos in order to protect the health of their citizens.
