Why Asbestos Still Continues to Be a Threat – Despite the Ban.
Ninety three years after the first recorded asbestos-related death, John Prescott, the deputy prime minister at the time signed The Asbestos Prohibitions Regulations 1999. It took Labour two years to implement this ban on all uses of asbestos, it was one of their major policies in the run up to the 1997 general election. The main reason was that there was a huge case going on involving the massive Canadian Asbestos Institute against France and the French ban on asbestos at the Wrold Trade Organisation. However, once the EU had completely banned the use of asbestos, the UK followed suit one month after. asbestos removal However, what could have been seen as a major victory on behalf of the hundred of thousands of people that had died from asbestos related illnesses, it was met with regret – TUC cheig, Hugh Robertson commented;
“Although the ban on the import and use of asbestos was a great step forward, we must not forget that the delay in introducing a ban cost thousands of lives that might have been spared if asbestos had been outlawed when the risks were first known. Had the industry not tried to distort facts and suppress evidence, there is little doubt that action would have been taken much quicker. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary, we must remember that the asbestos ban has not made the problem go away; we still have millions of buildings that contain this killer fibre. It is vital that workers and the public are protected from hazardous exposures and that when asbestos is removed it is done safely.”
The 2006 report on the number of asbestos related deaths revealed 2056 deaths, this saw a steep rise from the 312 reported for 1976, the 706 reported in 1986 and 1322 in 1996. This rise in deaths spells a bleak future.
“Mortality amongst all males is expected to keep increasing, reaching a peak at around 2,040 deaths in the year 2016, with a rapid decline following the peak year. Around 91,000 deaths are predicted to occur by 2050 with around 61,000 of these occurring from 2007 onwards.” When you take into account the number of deaths that have occurred among women with mesothelioma and asbestosis and cancers of the lungs, larynx, stomach and ovaries – this is a huge price to pay for the years of silence and lack of research by the powers that be. Whilst doctors, campaigners, trade unionists and asbestos victims were all crying out for some action to be made, thousands of men and women were dying of long, slow, painful deaths. getting rid of asbestos Even though there was a huge ban on asbestos, there still remains the fact that 95% of social housing and 1.5 million public buildings contain asbestos and asbestos products. hse asbestos removal Chairman of the Parliamentary Asbestos Sub Committee, Michael Clapham MP, recently commented: “Despite the irrefutable scientific evidence which convinced authorities in industrialized countries to ban asbestos, producers are still exporting 2 million tonnes every year to the developing world where it causes disability and death and adds to world poverty.is years since the UN, recognizing the serious health implications of asbestos use, called for restrictions on global trade.is appropriate to mark the 10th anniversary of the UK ban by reaffirming our commitment to the campaign for a worldwide ban.”
