Building unions’ global federation, BWI has renewed its call for a global asbestos ban. General Secretary Anita Normark, said that today’s exposures guarantee that deaths caused by exposure to asbestos fibres would continue. Currently there is at least one death every five minutes.
The problem is becoming more acute in the developing world, where some jobs are an effective death sentence.
The organisation is calling upon trade unions to lobby their national governments to discuss plans to prevent asbestos related diseases.
It also appealed for a renewed international effort to convince the Canadian government to recognise that asbestos is the world's biggest industrial killer and that it should be banned in all countries. 'Canada is one of the largest exporters of asbestos,' said Normark, 'and we aim to show its government that workers in a large number of countries are concerned about Canada's disdain for the occupational and public health of citizens and workers throughout the world.' She said while 40 industrialised countries have banned asbestos, and are using alternative materials, developing countries are targeted by the asbestos salesmen who will deny the health hazards in order to make profits.
Trade union confederations in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela - have taken up the campaign for an asbestos ban. The unions have helped compile a document, 'Ban asbestos in the Andean sub-region', published by the Andean Labour Institute (ILA). The document is based on a survey of trade union leaders, and looks at asbestos use in the different countries involved.
Colombia is an asbestos producer which both uses its own output and imports large amounts from Canada, estimated at 19,000 tonnes in 2005. Bolivia produces little asbestos, while Peru has shutdown its asbestos mines. Most asbestos used in the region is imported, mainly from Canada.
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http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-12973-f0.cfm
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