Home ›› 17 Nov 2021 ›› Front
The government is planning to formulate a policy regarding the import and use of asbestos in Bangladesh – a mineral which has been linked to various deadly health conditions and cancer such as mesothelioma.
As part of the preparatory work, the Department of Environment (DOE) sent a letter to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the last week of October, requesting an inter-ministerial meeting to gather recommendations for the policy decision, insiders say.
The letter, signed by DOE Director General Ashraf Uddin, says, “As recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the use of asbestos should be banned in the production of cement products to prevent asbestos-related cancers.
“Bangladesh currently has no direct policy or regulations in this regard. As a result, the country faces the risk of asbestos-related health hazards.”
So, under the circumstances, the DOE requested an inter-ministerial meeting with the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Health and Family Planning, House Building and Research Institute and The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet).
Four companies in Bangladesh produce cement sheets and another such factory is currently under construction.
Speaking with The Business Post, Director of DoE (Environmental Clearance) Masud Iqbal Md Shameem said, “We are currently not issuing or renewing any clearance certificates for factories where asbestos is being used as a raw material, considering its health hazards.
“Some industries – who use asbestos – are operating in the country, and they have made investments. But we have to consider the substance’s impacts on human health. We are yet to hold the inter-ministerial meeting. Recommendations gathered in the meeting will be highlighted in the policy.”
Shameem continued, “The commerce ministry formulates import policies that remain active only for a few years, but we seek a permanent solution to asbestos.
“The DOE’s director general has the jurisdiction to issue an official order, and the environment ministry possesses jurisdiction to give directives. We are looking forward to the inter-ministerial meeting.”
Cement sheets have a huge demand in Bangladesh for being cheap, heat and fire-resistant, and have an average lifespan of 40-50 years.
But alongside these sheets, asbestos is used to manufacture tiles, pipes, electric insulators, brake pads for cars and many other products.
There are six types of asbestos – actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite and tremolite. Among those, chrysotile makes up for 90 per cent of the global use and is also used heavily by cement sheet manufacturers in Bangladesh.
Asbestos is classified as being carcinogenic to humans. Addressing the matter, the DOE letter said, “According to the WHO, asbestos has no acceptable limit for human exposure. A single fibre of asbestos can cause cancer in the human body.
“The WHO recommends halting the use of all types of asbestos – including chrysotile – to help curb cancers caused by this substance.”
Despite the severe health hazard posed by this toxic material, six companies in the country imported a staggering 24,019 tonnes of asbestos in the Fiscal Year 2018-19.
In 1998, Bangladesh imported only 1,010 tonnes, but then logged a two-fold rise in 2010. The figure jumped to 12,100 tons in 2014.
According to a 2017 WHO report, the aggregate annual asbestos production and consumption across the globe went down from 4.8 million tonnes in 1980 to 2 million tonnes in 2013. But Bangladesh is now moving in the opposite direction.
On the issue, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Additional Secretary Md
Moniruzzaman said, “A date for the inter-ministerial meeting will be fixed soon.
“The ministry secretary already gave some instructions in this regard at another meeting held on November 16 at the secretariat.”
Health impacts of asbestos
A 2014 World Health Organisation (WHO) report on chrysotile asbestos says the substance is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as being carcinogenic to humans.
Exposure to chrysotile, amosite and anthophyllite and to the mixtures containing crocidolite results in an increased risk of lung cancer and other serious health complications, which kills around 107,000 people across the world annually.
Another WHO report released in 2017 says, at present, four countries – Brazil, China, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation – produce over 99 per cent of the world’s asbestos, while 25 countries each consume at least 1,000 tonnes of asbestos per year.
According to this organisation, the annual global healthcare costs associated with the health effects of asbestos are estimated to be $2.4 billion – $3.9 billion, excluding the additional costs of pain, suffering and
welfare losses.
The International Chrysotile Association (ICA) itself admits the risk of lung cancer in its own publication titled “Science-based facts: Relevant health issues.” It says that chrysotile can cause lung cancer 10 times lower than amosite and 50 times lower than
crocidolite.
In case of mesothelioma, the risk is 100 times lower than amosite, and 500 times lower than crocidolite.
What about alternatives?
According to the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat, many countries are using asbestos alternatives considering the health hazard posed by this substance.
They suggested using synthetic fibres such as polyvinyl alcohol and polypropylene, and vegetable or cellulose-based fibres such as bamboo, sisal, coir, rattan shavings and tobacco stalks.
