Given the fact that 70 nations have banned asbestos and Brazilian Supreme Court has declared use of asbestos as unconstitutional, question of Sangamlal Gupta and P.P. Chaudhary on “Ban on Asbestos Mines” in the Parliament and the reply of Pralhad Joshi, minister of coal and mines assumes significance. The minister replied that no asbestos mine functional in India because of the harmful effect of asbestos. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), 250, 000 are dying annually because of asbestos related diseases. 25 per cent of the entire asbestos produced globally comes to India because India is yet to ban trade, manufacture and use of all kinds of asbestos although it has banned mining of all kinds of asbestos. India imported asbestos to the tune of 3,61,164 tonnes in 2019-20. It was 3,64,105 tonnes in the previous year.
"Almost entire import was that of chrysotile asbestos", reveals the Indian Minerals Year Book 2020 published in November 2021. It also reveals that India is importing small amount of non-chrysotile asbestos as well. The imports of chrysotile asbestos were mainly from Russia (85%), Brazil, Kazakhstan and Hungary (3% each), and Poland and South Africa (2% each).
A total of 25,009 tonnes asbestos-cement products were also imported in 2019-20 as against 29,358 tonnes in the previous year. These imports were mainly from Thailand (93%) and Indonesia (4%). Besides above, asbestos-fibre of 3,60,839 tonnes was imported during the year 2019-20 as compared to 3,63,902 tonnes in the previous year.
The data reveals that despite the Brazilian Supreme Court's landmark verdict declaring use of asbestos to be unconstitutional, it is exporting it to India not realizing that human biology is same everywhere -- what is poisonous for Brazilians and some 70 countries cannot be non-poisonous for Indians. It also brings to light the fact although South Africa, Hungry and Poland have banned asbestos, they continue to export it to India.
The imports of asbestos fibre products were 3,580 tonnes during the year 2019-20 as compared to 4,425 tonnes in the previous year. The imports of asbestos fibre products were mainly from China (31%), Japan (23%) and Denmark (12%). The 2020 report points out that, in addition to asbestos minerals, an unknown quantity of asbestos is traded within manufactured products, possibly including brake linings and pads, building materials, gaskets, millboard, yarn and thread.
Meanwhile, exports of asbestos decreased substantially to 1,001 tonnes in 2019-20 as compared to 1,112 tonnes in the previous year. The exports were mainly to Bangladesh (92%) and Sri Lanka 7%. The exports of asbestos (fibre products) were at 43,310 tonnes in 2019-20 as compared to 41,677 tonnes in the previous year. The exports were mainly to USA (24%), UAE (7%), Egypt (6%) and Nepal, Canada, Sri Lanka and Kenya (3% each).
The exports of asbestos (chrysotile) were at 997 tonnes during the year 2019-20 as compared to 1090 tonnes in the preceding year. The exports of asbestos (others) decreased to 5 tonnes during the year 2019-20 as compared to 22 tonnes in the preceding year. These exports were solely to Nepal.
The exports of asbestos-cement products were 91,100 tonnes in 2019-20 as compared to 67,352 tonnes in the preceding year. The exports of asbestos-cement products were mainly to UAE (36%), Nepal (26%) and Qatar (11%). These countries ought to act to protect the health of their present and future citizens. It is clear that despite banning asbestos, Canada and Nepal continue to import asbestos and asbestos based products.
Notably, WHO has recommended elimination of all kinds of asbestos and asbestos based products. India has banned mining of all kinds of asbestos because of it is harmful impact on human health. It has been established that safe and controlled use of asbestos is impossible. India has banned trade in asbestos waste (dust and fibers) and its use in ships, but it continues to trade raw asbestos and asbestos-based products. India continues to manufacture and use asbestos based products.
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