Renewed Call for an International Ban on Asbestos

EHP commentary, editorial, and feature article challenge the continued use of known human carcinogen

Newswise — The July 2010 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) will feature a call for an international ban on the mining and use of all forms of asbestos, including chrysotile asbestos. The commentary by Joseph LaDou, MD, and other Fellows of the Collegium Ramazzini demonstrates clearly the need for an international ban on all forms of asbestos: although 52 countries have banned asbestos, many others still use the mineral, exposing millions of people to an agent for which there is no scientifically verified safe level. LaDou contends, “All asbestos-related diseases are preventable if asbestos is banned globally.”

Asbestos is a general term for a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals with high tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to thermal, chemical, and electrical conditions. Since the industrial revolution, asbestos has been used in construction materials such as building insulation, automobile parts, concrete-reinforced water pipe, and cement because of its durability.

Chrysotile asbestos represents nearly 100% of all asbestos currently produced and 95% of all the asbestos used worldwide since 1900. Annual world production of asbestos is still more than 2 million metric tons. An estimated 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos at work, and many more may be exposed at home in countries where asbestos products are still used. This includes several developing nations.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the U.S. National Toxicology Program have declared all forms of asbestos to be proven human carcinogens. Among many other adverse health effects, asbestos also causes asbestosis, a progressive, debilitating lung disease. Each year tens of thousands of asbestos-related deaths are estimated to occur worldwide.

Although industry maintains chrysotile asbestos can be used safely under controlled conditions, exposures occur due to inadequate use of protective equipment or engineering controls, particularly in developing countries with limited resources or regulations to protect workers. In addition, general populations are exposed when asbestos is released from products that contain it—for example, when older buildings are demolished for urban renewal projects or when asbestos-bearing materials begin to degrade.

EHP will publish an editorial in the July 2010 issue supporting the call for an international ban on asbestos. Linda Birnbaum, PhD, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Toxicology Program, Jane Schroeder, DVM, PhD, science editor of EHP, and Hugh Tilson, PhD, editor-in-chief of EHP, authored the editorial. EHP is also running a feature article that discusses the renewed call to ban and how asbestos is being addressed by countries around the world.

“An international ban on asbestos will help safeguard the public from the many documented, harmful health effects associated with the substance,” said Tilson. “The ban will symbolize a united front to combat the dire consequences of continued use of asbestos.”

These articles in EHP’s July issue are just one part of the renewed international effort of organizations in support of an international ban on the mining and use of all forms of asbestos. The Collegium Ramazzini last issued a call for an international ban on mining and use of asbestos in 1999. Now world organizations are calling for the ban again in 2010.

Other authors of the commentary are Barry Castleman, Arthur Frank, Michael Gochfeld, Morris Greenberg, James Huff, Tushar Kant Joshi, Philip J. Landrigan, Richard Lemen, Jonny Myers, Morando Soffritti, Colin L. Soskolne, Ken Takahashi, Daniel Teitelaum, Benedetto Terrachini, and Andrew Watterson. The Collegium Ramazzini is an international academic society of 180 clinicians and scientists from around the world who examine and evaluate critical public health issues in occupational and environmental health.

The commentary, editorial, and news feature will be available July 1 at http://www.ehponline.org/.

EHP is published by the NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. EHP is an open-access journal, and all EHP content is available free online at http://www.ehponline.org/. Brogan & Partners Convergence Marketing handles marketing and public relations for the publication and is responsible for creation and distribution of this press release.

Editor's Note: Working media and other interested parties can register to receive press releases via e-mail by calling 919-653-2583 or e-mailing mailto:[email protected].