There will be 6,600 cases of cancer if using asbestos by 2030

If you continue to use asbestos by 2030, Vietnam will import more than 1 million tons of asbestos back to the country. According to calculations by scientists, with this huge amount of asbestos, at least Vietnam will have 6,600 cases of mesothelioma.

>>>WHO sends a letter to the Prime Minister proposing to ban asbestos

Decision 1469 / QD-TTg issued on August 22 is said to have many new points in the issue of asbestos when the construction industry demand from now until 2020 'does not invest in new or expanded facilities. The use of chrysotile asbestos (chrysotile) has simultaneously converted the use of fibers to replace chrysotile asbestos fibers.

In addition, in the orientation of developing construction materials industry until 2030, the Prime Minister also requested 'to develop a gradual roadmap towards ending the use of chrysotile asbestos fibers in the production of roofing materials'.

However, if following this regulation, the construction industry will build a roadmap to terminate the use of asbestos after 2020. And accordingly, asbestos is likely to be allowed to use in Vietnam until 2030.

Many experts say that if it is too late to completely ban the use of asbestos in roofing sheets, it is too late.

According to Dr. Tran Tuan, Director of the Center for Community Development Research and Training (RTCCD), while countries around us like Thailand and China are speeding up the prohibition of completely using chrysotile, medical organizations. World Health Organization, ILO International Labor Organization has proposed that the Government of Vietnam stop using chrysotile before 2020, the new planning of construction materials industry is creating opportunities for asbestos to continue to be used. until 2030.

"With the requirement to build a roadmap to end the use of chrysotile asbestos in the orientation towards 2030, this decision is reflecting the global trend in asbestos issues ," said Tuan.

Dr. Tuan also said that this "reverse trend" plan is pushing the market of non-asbestos materials into the hands of foreign companies.

"The most recent information from the international conference on the development of asbestos-free building materials has just ended in Da Nang last week, said that non-asbestos construction materials products are developing very quickly in recent times. Viet Nam is even more late in banning the production of asbestos sheets, creating a risk to lose the market to foreign companies , ' said Dr. Tuan.

Meanwhile, Assoc. Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, Director of the Department of Health Environmental Management, Ministry of Health, said that, under this Decision, the construction of a roadmap to stop using chrysotile must be conducted before 2020.

It is very dangerous to continue using asbestos in roofing production until 2030.

Mr. Russia said that the determination of the roadmap to end the use of chrysotile in the orientation towards 2030 is in fact the continuation of the spirit of investment orientation from now to 2020: 'Gradually transforming the use of fibers that replace chrysotile asbestos fibers'.

"This means that facilities producing asbestos cement sheets (AC roofing sheets) must have a roadmap to convert white asbestos substitute materials before 2020 ," said Mr. Nga.

Since then, Mr. Nga said that the construction of a roadmap to gradually reduce the termination of the use of chrysotile in the production of roofing materials proposed in the Prime Minister's Decision is to build a roadmap from now on. construction by 2020, not after 2020 to start construction.

Many dangers

Many experts believe that, if they continue to hesitate, there are no measures to completely prohibit the use of chrysotile, the consequences will be extremely harmful.

According to Nguyen Huy Nga, if understanding Decision 1469 allows the use of chrysotile by 2030, in the next 16 years, Vietnam will continue to use this hazardous material.

Currently, each year Vietnam imports an average of 65,000 tons of asbestos, by 2030 there will be more than 1 million tons of asbestos used in production and consumption on the domestic market.

"The consequences are serious for the health of workers and the community ," Mr. Nga said.

According to Russia, the scientists calculated that for every 170 tons of asbestos consumed there would be 1 more case of mesothelioma, not to mention cases of lung and peritoneal cancer. , pericardium, ovary or other asbestos-related diseases.

Thus, if by 2030, Vietnam imports another 1.12 million tons of chrysotile, then we will have 6,600 mesothelioma cases, more than the number of workers in 39 sheet manufacturing factories. Asbestos roofing today.

"It is not taken into account cases of other asbestos-related diseases in 2040-2050, as well as cases of asbestos-related diseases during the 30-40 years of use," he added.

Dr. Tran Tuan also said that while asbestos is a toxic material not only for direct workers but also for people using asbestos-containing products, Decision 1469 does not seem to consider carefully. next to the effects of asbestos materials on health.

"In fact, the asbestos story is the more problematic issue of increasing the risk of cancer for the community, increasing the cost of treating diseases, the cost of cleaning the environment, pressing society, reducing the prestige of Vietnam on the international field of public health, but, in this Decision, we have not seen any role of the Ministry of Health in controlling the harmful effects of asbestos on health. very need to reconsider , 'said Dr. Tuan.

Disadvantage for clean technology

According to Dr. Do Quoc Quang, Institute of Technology, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Decision 1469 not only creates 'loophole' for chrysotile to be used until 2030 but also causes many disadvantages for clean technologies to replace asbestos. .

Dr. Quang said that Decision 1469 brought asbestos roofing sheets into fiber cement products. In essence, this is not wrong (asbestos is also a fiber), but among the fibers used in the production of roofing, only asbestos fibers cause dangerous dust, which can lead to cancer.

Therefore, according to Mr. Quang, setting up requirements for yarn shearing, crushing and quantifying equipment for fiber cement roofing facilities is generally not necessary.

"In the types of fibers, only asbestos fibers have a toxic warning on the manufacturer's packaging. Therefore, only asbestos fibers need to be torn apart and the non-asbestos fiber cement products are not needed. ' Mr. Quang analyzed.

Mr. Quang also said that in the planning of roofing industry mentioned in Decision 1469, it sets the target of total design capacity of fiber cement factories (including asbestos and non-asbestos production plants). is 106 million m ² but not specified, how many m ² are asbestos roofing sheets, how many m ² are non asbestos roofing sheets.

According to Mr. Quang, this will make it difficult for clean technology to replace asbestos. Because of the limitation of expanding the non-asbestos roofing production line according to Decision 1469, it is very difficult to implement.

"Restrictions on the expansion of asbestos roofing production lines are available from Decision 133 in 2004, however, the reality is ineffective. Besides, roofing enterprises have not posted How do you know if they expand production? ' , Mr. Quang analyzed.

Stop using chrysotile in 2020

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has just directed the Ministry of Construction to study, build a specific roadmap to implement the goal of stopping the use of chrysotile in roofing production in 2020.

The Deputy Prime Minister also directed the Ministry of Construction to gather and report to the Prime Minister on the revision of relevant contents in the Master Plan for construction materials development in Vietnam to 2020 and orientation to 2030 ( approved in Decision 1469 / QD-TTg, issued on August 22).

In the document to the relevant ministries and branches, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai also directed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the concerned ministries and branches to report to the Prime Minister before November 30, 2014 on the way. The project does not object to the proposal to put chrysotile into the Annex 3 of the Rotterdam Convention in the upcoming 2015 session.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister also assigned the Ministry of Construction, Health, Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, Natural Resources and Environment to research and apply international management experience and strengthen inspection and supervision. for the production and use of chrysotile asbestos.