Why Does India Still Trade & Use Asbestos?

There is a big question as why India still uses and trade the most hazardous mineral asbestos even today when it has been banned in most countries. As per an update, it was learnt that Russia basically supplies asbestos to India which it finally supplies to other nations.

Asbestos is basically a cheap and heat resistant mineral found naturally on the earth. It has several other properties due to which its use has been more as compared to other minerals.

But since asbestos poses a risk to the lives of people handling it, most countries have banned its use. Once it sets in the lining of lungs, it causes a number of dreaded conditions like lung cancer, mesothelioma and many others.

There are a total of 6 types of asbestos found chrysotile – white asbestos happens to be the most common form of asbestos. Due to this, chrysotile is most commonly used as a building material, especially in roofing houses.

As per an update from World Health Organization (W.H.O.), all forms of asbestos become the reason causing mesothelioma, “lung cancer, mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis [fibrosis of the lungs]”.

Please note that the exposure to the fibers of asbestos at the time of handling it mainly becomes the reason for the causes of mesothelioma and other dreaded conditions.

Now, even after the mineral is loaded with so many imperfections, many countries keep using it without bothering the lives of workers who handle the mineral.

As per a report in the past, India banned asbetos in the year 2011. To be precise, the country banned asbestos mining and asbestos waste to be used in ships. But now, the situation is quite different.

As per reports from different sources, India keeps trading raw form of asbestos and asbestos related products which are already banned. The mineral can be found most commonly in the roofs of houses and old buildings.

As per a report submitted in November 2021 by India, the country is know to have imported 361,164 tonnes of asbestos which is 1% lesser as compared to 364,105 tonnes of asbestos used in the previous year.

The report further disclosed that it was chrysotile asbestos that was actually imported. Also, up to 85% of the imports came from Russia. Not only that the imports of asbestos came from (Hungary, Kazakhstan, Brazil) each.

Up to 2% asbestos was imported from countries like South Africa and Poland.

A leading development economist has to say, “India’s biggest source of chrysotile asbestos – Russia – has not banned it nationally. So there is no hypocrisy; it is just bad policy, given that the WHO and 70 states worldwide have agreed that there are no safe uses for the substance,” he stated.

Also Read: Chrysotile Asbestos: EPA Submits Section 6(a) Rulemaking to OMB for An Honest Review

Asbestos Trade Lobbies

If you look globally, the first order to ban asbestos and related mineral was came in the year 2001. It all happened when the World Trade Organization (WTO) supported a move given by France to ban this mineral.

Later, it all happened that the WTO’s Appellate body stated that substances that fall to the category of dangerous can't be gauged to be similar to somewhat safer substances.

This is what the statement further added, The chrysotile fiber use happens to be in line with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) policy.

Public Awareness

Reports suggest that the first use of asbestos came to highlight when Britishers first started ruling India.

An expert in this regard says that India became the victim of the British legacy when a number of companies were set up even at a time when Britishers knew that asbestos related minerals fall under the category of harmful substance.

Do you know that it was British Medical Journal that has been reporting on asbestos since 1924? And this is what started happenning right from the beginning. The United Kingdom fully banned asbestos in 1999.