Asbestos industrialists appeal to Govt: Reconsider ban

Representatives of the Fibre Cement Products Manufactures Association (FCPMA) which convened a media briefing last week on the Cabinet decision to phase out the import and use of asbestos in the country, said the Association will not resort to a legal remedy but would trust the government to uphold the principles of good governance.

FCPMA officials said they had repeatedly written letters to the authorities since late last year, to discuss the issue with industry stakeholders before a decision was taken to ban the import and use of asbestos roofing sheets in the country.

“Our repeated appeals have fallen on deaf ears and we request the media to play a pivotal role to help save an age-old industry which provides direct employment for over 4,000 and 17,000 dependents,” an official said.

Rhino Roofing Products Limited Group Marketing Manager Priyantha Jayasinghe said the Association is not asking the media to pull the chestnuts out of the fire, but to offer an eye-opener to the authorities who need to realise the gravity of banning the import and use of asbestos roofing material which is used by a large number of households and industries as a cost-effective roofing solution.

He said the asbestos roofing sheet industry is over 60 years old and has been a key industry in driving economic growth.

There has not been a single case of mesothelioma or asbestos-related cancer deaths reported from the industry throughout these years. The popularity of the roofing sheet has grown over the years and has a market share of over 80 percent.

“We request the authorities to conduct a comprehensive study of the roofing sheet and arrive at a decision in consultation with the stakeholders of the industry.

It is vital to understand and differentiate the key elements of asbestos fibres relating to Sri Lanka,” Jayasinghe said.

He said asbestos is not a generic name and Sri Lanka does not mine any asbestos fibres, including chrysotile, the white asbestos. Thereby it eliminates the risk of developing all types of carcinogenic diseases in the country. Chrysotile which is the only type of asbestos imported to the country in sealed packaging, is not exposed to elements while being transported or in the manufacture of roofing sheets.

There are two types of asbestos. One is serpentine and the other, amphibole asbestos. Sri Lanka uses the serpentine asbestos which consists of chrysotile white asbestos which is not harmful to health. Amphibole asbestos which is harmful does not dissolve in the lungs.

Chrysotile dissolves into tiny particles in the lung and is expelled via the respiratory tract, he said.

However, the World Health Organisation has listed asbestos as a carcinogenic product. It has listed it as item No. 8 in the ‘A’ group. Around 40-50 countries have banned the use of chrysotile.

FCPMA Coordinator Anton Edema said chrysotile roofing sheets are manufactured in Sri Lanka with a combination of 92 percent cement and water and the rest with crysotile fibre to provide strength to the sheet which complies with SLS9’, ISO 14000, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 quality standards.

Despite its listing and banning in certain countries, Chrysotile fibre is used to produce over 4,000 items in over 150 countries. The FCPMA says that the WHO has listed it as harmful, because it has grouped all asbestos types together including chrysotile, which is not harmful.

“The roofing sheet does not pose a risk or health hazard to users due to its stringent conformity to local and global quality standards.

Chrysotile cement roofing sheets are distributed across 80 percent of the country and many depend on the industry for their livelihood as it is the only roofing sheet accredited for durability and economic value,” Edema said. He said the industry has taken measures to ensure the direct workforce complies with all safety standards.

- LF