NEW DELHI: Waking up to the hazards of asbestos use that puts millions of workers at risk of contracting cancer, the government has said its use must end and the Centre will ask scientists to look for alternatives.

“Since the use of asbestos is affecting human health, its use should gradually be minimised and eventually end.As far as I know, its use is declining. But it must end,“ environment minister Anil Madhav Dave told TOI.

He said his ministry would ask scientists and other stakeholders to find out whether technology or any nonhazardous substitute could provide an alternative.

Besides being used as an ingredient in a number of products like roofing, water supply lines and fire blankets, asbestos is also widely used in the auto component market, specially for brakes, clutches and brake linings. As a result, millions of workers are exposed to it in these sectors.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other inter-governmental organisations have for long been working with countries towards elimination of asbestos-related diseases by providing information about solutions for replacing asbestos with safer substitutes. It has, in its report on the subject, noted that there are many non-fibre low hazard materials that can be a substitute for asbestos.

As many as 55 countries, including European Union (EU) nations, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, have banned the use of asbestos. But many big countries, including China and India, continue to use this hazardous mineral. The US is implementing a new chemical safety act to tackle everyday carcinogens, including asbestos.

Though there have been general guidelines in India for carrying out environmental impact assessment (EIA) of asbestos-based industries, it mainly deals with emission limits and ways of disposal of asbestos waste.

Lat month, TOI had reported the use of asbestos in auto components such as brake, clutches and heat seals. In response to a question as to why this practice should continue in India when many countries had banned use of asbestos in auto parts, the environment ministry had said the question of banning asbestos in auto products in the country did not arise in the absence of any scientific study on the matter.



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