Asbestos; Indian industry and government policy

Asbestos is a mineral quite old and was known both to the ancient Greeks and Romans.  Both civilizations were aware of it miraculous qualities.  In these and other ancient civilizations it was largely used in ceremonial and ritual clothing like funeral dresses for the cremation of kings.  

There are six types of asbestos having great commercial properties including amongst others like outstanding insulation of sound, heat and electricity.  Except white asbestos which is also known as chrysotile, use of all other varieties is banned all over the world for their harmful effects.    Chrysotile or white asbestos fibres are thicker due to their curly nature compared to other varieties whose fibres are needlelike.   Chrysotile fibres are unable to penetrate as far. 

Almost the entire chrysotile which is mined all over the world is largely used in the production of asbestos cement corrugated roofing sheets.   A minuscule percentage is used in production of asbestos cement pipes, clothing for industrial applications and in automobile parts like clutches and brakes.  Around 1880, a number of deposits were found in Russia and Canada.  Almost at the same time the industrial revolution taking place in England and other parts of the world catapulted a high growth in the use of asbestos.

Asbestos is a risk to health only when it is inhaled ( breathed in ) as fine dust.   The risk to health increases with the number of fibres inhaled and with frequency of exposure.  When asbestos dust is inhaled, larger fibres tend to be cleared by protective mechanism in the lungs and respiratory tract.   The finer fibres, however, are more difficult to remove and may become deposited in the lungs, or penetrate further into body.     

Inhalation is the primary route by which the general population might be exposed to asbestos.  Small quantities of asbestos fibres are common in air, arising from natural sources like windblown soil from hazardous waste sites etc.

Generally, asbestos containing materials that are in good condition will not release asbestos fibres.  There is no danger unless fibres are released and inhaled to lungs.  The risk from exposure to asbestos in the non-occupational setting is considered to be low since the concentrations of asbestos fibres are low. 

The number of fibres that are released depends on :

• the percentage of asbestos in the material
• the way it is handled, used or worked on
• how tightly fibres are bound
• the degree of damage or wear

In India the emission standards for asbestos fibre from asbestos based products manufacturing industries have been notified under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.  Similarly, under Metalliferous Mines Regulations, 1961, permissible limit of airborne respirable asbestos fibre dust are also prescribed.  The Industry Pollutants Emission Limit for all types of asbestos manufacturing units (including all processes involving the use of asbestos) Pure asbestos material 0.2 fibre/cc, Total Dust 2 mg / nm3.  Fibre of length more than 5 micrometer and diameter less than 3 micrometer with an aspect ratio of 3 or more.

Mining, manufacture of asbestos and asbestos based products is regulated as per the provisions and procedures of EIA notification, 1994.  Similarly, the manufacture, handling and processing of asbestos and its products have been brought under the category of hazardous processes as given in First schedule under the Factories Act, 1948.  The State Governments have framed rules under Section 87 and schedule on handling and process of manufacture or otherwise in which asbestos is used in any form has been notified by them on the basis of Model Rules prepared by Director General Factories Advice Service and Labour Institutes(DGFASLI) Besides, Bureau of India Standards (BIS) have also prescribed various standards to ensure safety in handling and use of asbestos and its products.

Of late asbestos and asbestos-based products have been generating lot of interest in the society. Certain NGOs, activists and various competitive interests both in the country and abroad have been campaigning against asbestos.   There are several scientific studies concerning asbestos usage, its effects on health and the environment. These studies have generally come to the conclusion that use of asbestos (Chrysotile variety) in the manufacture of Asbestos-based products under controlled conditions is entirely safe for human health and environment. Likewise, studies have concluded that people residing under asbestos cement roofs are not subjected to any health risks. It is quite safe if asbestos products are processed and manufactured under controlled conditions. These studies have similarly arrived at same conclusions about usage of its products.

There are more than 50 modern manufacturing units located in various States and equipped with latest environmental and pollution control equipments as well as implementing all prescribe measures in regard to prevention of any health related problems.   Most of these units are engaged in manufacture of asbestos roofing sheets.  The production of a.c. sheets is in the range of 3.5 to 4 million ton and consumption of asbestos (chrysotile) fibre is around 4 lac ton per year.  It is interesting to note that the entire requirement of asbestos fibre is met through imports from Brazil, Canada and Russia.  The annual turnover of the industry is around Rs. 5000 cr.

The policy in regard to asbestos and its products of the Government of India as on date is quite clear and transparent as would be revealed in its replies to the Parliament for last more than 10 years.  Some relevant portion of the Government replies to the Parliament will clarify the policy of the Government of India.

“The Government has put in place various measures to safeguard the health of employees which, inter alia, include mandatory environmental clearance for asbestos based industries (new and expansion/modernization) irrespective of investment as per the provisions and procedures under EIA Notification 1994. Strict adherence to medical health care, occupational health monitoring and compliance to various BIS standards are prescribed while granting clearance. Further, Government has amended the Factories Act, 1948 in April, 2001to make stringent and permissible exposure limit for Chrysotile asbestos as 1.0 fibre/cc.”

Similarly in regard to a question whether the Government propose to shut down asbestos sheet manufacturing units in India as it can cause lung cancer to the workers exposed to it etc. the reply was ;

“there is no conclusive scientific evidence on the harmful effects of asbestos. Further, the units manufacturing asbestos sheets have to follow various safety norms prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards to protect workers employed in these units against the harmful effects of asbestos. Therefore, in the absence of any conclusive evidence to suggest that manufacture of asbestos sheets causes lung cancer amongst workers employed in these units, it is not desirable to ban production of these sheets.”

The Government further amply clarified another very critical issue whether the asbestos cement (AC) pipes used for drinking water projects is a health hazard, the response of the  Government was “from the available literature, there does not appear to be any health hazard from asbestos cemented pipes used for drinking water.