India Ban Asbestos Network Members along with other international Network representatives came together to demand for an end to asbestos mining and export in Brazil- one of the world’s leading asbestos-producing countries.
India being one of the top three consumer of asbestos, imported about 14% of its total raw fibres from Brazil which accounts for about 43482.88 tonnes out of total import of 310592 tonnes in 2017.
Since the mid-20th century, asbestos mines in Brazil have produced nine million tonnes of chrysotile asbestos; while much of it was used at home – especially in the early years – recently the majority has been exported, with most shipments to countries in Asia. As a result, the lives of workers, consumers and the public have been endangered; in a newly published paper, scientists from Brazil and Europe warned that deadly epidemic in asbestos-consuming countries is inevitable. Even when asbestos use is prohibited, the number of victims will increase due to the exposures through various infrastructures and throughout the environment which will remain a potent threat for long time.
In 2017, the Brazilian Supreme Court passed an order to completely ban asbestos mining as well as its use in the country. But various mining companies through political pressure, legal actions and media campaigns are trying to derail efforts to shut down the industry. Eternit – the company which owns the remaining asbestos mine in Brazil – announced its intention in January 2019 to increase asbestos exports to industrializing countries in Asia.
The mission of the delegates to Brazil was mainly to highlight and bring awareness about the issue of asbestos export from Brazil to Asian countries, exposing the double standards of the government by citizens, politicians, civil servants, decision-makers to protect the universal right to life of living being.
As a part of ban asbestos network we support the local groups of Brazil who have been struggling to get the judgment of Supreme Court implemented and challenge the hypocrisy of exporting a substance to Asia which has been deemed too dangerous to use in Brazil.
Some Photos from the delegation visit are below
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