International Bans on Asbestos
Despite everything known about the danger of asbestos, halting its use has been a difficult process, one that must be fought “one country at a time,” according to Barry Castleman in his report titled, “The WTO Trade Dispute’s Impact on Global Efforts to Ban Asbestos.” In the 1990s, many countries adopted bans on the use and importation of asbestos to protect citizens. But strong economic forces still conspired against the movement to ban asbestos.
When France announced in 1996 that it would ban the use of asbestos, Canada (a major exporter of chrysotile asbestos) felt threatened. The Canadian government took its concerns to the World Trade Organization to argue that the ban was an unreasonable restriction of international trade according to Castleman’s report. But the WTO dispute resolution panel rejected Canada’s argument, finding that France and other countries involved in the ban had valid public health concerns.
Asbestos has been banned in more than 40 countries around the world, including all 25 countries in the European Union. According to the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat, the following nations have banned the use of asbestos, either wholly or with minor exceptions:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Germany
- Greece
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- Norwa
- Oman
- Poland
- Portugal
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom (including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Uruguay
Other countries have committed to or considered banning asbestos. Croatia adopted an asbestos ban in 2006, but after only six weeks, political and economic pressure forced a reversal. Asbestos remains legal in Croatia.
There are still other countries where asbestos use is legal and, in some cases, on the rise. The Canadian government, having failed to win over the WTO, realized that it would have to work directly with developing countries to support a market for its asbestos. In some countries, especially the developing nations of Asia, asbestos use, and exposure, is increasing.
