Make India Asbestos Free

Make India Asbestos Free
For Asbestos Free India

Journal of Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI). Asbestos Free India campaign of BANI is inspired by trade union movement and right to health campaign. BANI has been working since 2000. It works with peoples movements, doctors, researchers and activists besides trade unions, human rights, environmental, consumer and public health groups. BANI demands criminal liability for companies and medico-legal remedy for victims.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Government of Nepal banned import, purchase and use of asbestos

 Note: Ban Asbestos Network of India, as part of Ban Asbestos South Asia has long been urging SARRC countries to ban asbestos of all kinds. Prior to this Government of Sri Lanka had also initiated efforts to ban asbestos. The day is not far when whole of South Asia will become asbestos free. A Bill to ban asbestos in India has been introduced in Rajya Sabha as well. Supreme Court has taken note of it and recommended action in pursuance of the recommendations of WHO and ILO.

Gopal Krishna 
Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI)

Government of Nepal banned import, purchase and use of asbestos

KATHMANDU, DEC 24 - The government has banned the import, purchase and use of carcinogenic mineral fibre asbestos, which is used as construction material, saying that it is causing serious public health complications.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE), as per the provision of Environment Protection Act 1997, published a notice in Nepal Gazette on Monday to ban the hazardous asbestos sheets and related products to protect human health as well as environment from harmful consequences due to its increasing use in the construction sector. This decision will automatically come into effect within 181 days after the date of notification.

A study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) has already identified that all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and cause various other health implications. Over 40 countries have banned the import, export and use of the material within their territories.

Human health and environment were under high risk of getting impacted from these carcinogenic asbestos sheets used massively in many places in the country, especially in the Tarai region, according to the Centre for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED).

“Since last year, civil society and experts have been advocating to address the related public health and environmental problems possibly resulted from unscientific burying of asbestos wastes in Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu and its massive import and use in the Tarai region,” said  Ram Charitra Sah, executive director at CEPHED. “Now we need effective implementation of this decision,” he said.

2014-12-25 

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