Fact – Dictionary defines fact as verified information about past or present circumstances or events which are presented as objective reality.
In case of present usage of Asbestos, facts are often misrepresented and contorted to present a picture far from reality. The differentiation of types of asbestos fibers is deliberately ignored by certain anti-asbestos groups. They omit to mention that White Asbestos, which is only used now, is completely safe under controlled conditions.
The Asbestos Cement industry has always supported an extensive range of domestic and commercial requirements of the society. Yet the industry has been under constant threat of several myths and negative propaganda. The awareness about asbestos are at a very low level and most people even do not know that there are different types of asbestos and risk potential differs by product and process. It occurs in a number of different forms and the risks posed by them vary considerably... from minimal to severe.
The Asbestos Cement industry, a Rs. 4,500 crore industry, generates employment for about 3 Lakh people in India and contributes over 20 % of the turnover to the government’s exchequer by way of direct and indirect taxes. Still the usage of asbestos (even white asbestos) has been made by certain groups of vested interests as a contentious issue. It is a misconception that asbestos is hazardous to health, whereas the fact is that today it is not the mixed varieties of asbestos, but it is only Chrysotile (White fibre) variety which is used as approved by national and international scientific authorities and governments. Only safe white fibre is used in India and the unsafe blue and brown fibres are banned. Asbestos Cement products are eco friendly and contain only 8% of white asbestos while the rest consists of Fly ash (30%), cement (40%), water (20%) and pulp (2%). Chrysotile is a natural mineral without any known hazards under controlled usages in Asbestos Cement manufacturing process.
Various organizations are working on a negative propaganda against asbestos and are being funded by multinationals from European Union who want to promote their substitute products in the Indian market. These organizations get active support from steel sheet and pipe manufacturers’ lobby in India which commercially benefits by the increased sale and market share of metal roofing sheets and metal pipes, if manufacture of Asbestos Cement Sheets and Asbestos Cement Pipes is discontinued in India. The campaigns by these organizations are not based on any scientific evidence in India or elsewhere, and are totally dictated by vested commercial interests. The Activists try to create hysteria by quoting data and experience of past Asbestos usage notably in the European Union, which has no relevance at all in Indian usage.
International and national anti-asbestos bodies allege that asbestos is a dangerous substance and can cause lung cancer. However, there has not been any case of death or lung cancer in asbestos cement plant in India. One of the studies conducted in 2004-05 by Central Labour Institutes of the Ministry of Labour, Govt of India, has not found any asbestos-related diseases in 8 factories. Nor is there any evidence to show that people who lived under the asbestos cement roofing - even for decades - have had any adverse health effects.
The various inspections and studies of the government agencies from time to time and the health records of employees, including the retired employees has been the testimony to the claim that manufacture and use of asbestos cement products are not a health hazard to the employees or the users. All the production facilities are fully automated where the workers have no direct exposure to asbestos fibre. Workers have no chance of inhaling the fibre as the fibres are bound to cement, besides, workers are provided with all kinds of precautions like masks, in addition to proper environment engineering controls.
When it comes to products asbestos cement such as corrugated roofing sheets, pipes, etc. the asbestos fibers are bonded with cement and have no chance of getting airborne and polluting the environment.
It can thus be concluded that Chrysotile asbestos is just as safe, if not safer, than the replacement products. There is no proof to the contrary, from either a scientific or a medical point of view. Chrysotile makes it possible to offer families roofs that are well built, safe, and affordable and that will not go up in smoke or be perforated by rust after a few years. Asbestos sheets provide a safe, heat protective, least-noisy roof to millions of poor people, farmers and their poultry and cattle. These are cost effective, durable and energy efficient. AC products serve the developing countries by providing durable and low cost house roofing’s and water pipe systems.
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