Like a bizarro world version of love and marriage, asbestos and mesothelioma are a match made in hell. In the developed, Western world, asbestos is, at least, the devil we know. But what about other parts of the world, where an exotic form of cancer may be lower on the list of concerns than, say, the procurement of clean water? What is their stance with regard to asbestos use? What do they know? When did they know it? And what are they doing about it? Let’s take a closer look:
Accountability
Who is responsible for knowing about deadly materials in commercial use? Is it the consumer's job to know about and test for unsuitable materials in everything they purchase? What about buildings they happen to enter? Does the same apply to buildings they are required to enter due to work or school? How much is the consumer required to know? Who is responsible for knowing about which materials are harmful for public consumption?
These are questions about accountability. There was a time when we did not know that asbestos was harmful to us. But what happens when people producing asbestos products do know about the harm, yet continue to use the material? That is when the question of accountability becomes a legal matter. If you know something is poisonous, yet put it into the water supply, are you not guilty of something criminal?
Many attorneys have made it their life’s work to hold asbestos pushers accountable, and stop asbestos use worldwide. That is because at this time, there are no asbestos product manufacturers who are unaware of the devastating effects of the material. This is just as true for developing nations as it is for the U.S. It begs the question why anyone, anywhere in the world would intentionally use it.
Industrialization and profit
In a sweeping exposé on asbestos in Asia, a seller of asbestos roofing sheets is quoted as saying:
There is no question of ignorance, no doubt about intent. The peddlers of asbestos know exactly what they are doing. They are engaging in blatant misinformation campaigns to bolster their industry. They are much like the tobacco industry. They lie about their product because it makes them billions of dollars at the expense of sometimes poor, uneducated people.
According to the same epic piece, two-thirds of India’s population lives on about $1.25 a day. No one is testing these people for exotic lung diseases that no doctor would look for or treat if found. Villages like Vaishali, in the impoverished state of Bihar are on their own when it comes to educating themselves and taking action.
Future prospects
One thing that all humans seem to have in common is that we are willing to pay a heavy, long-term price for short-term benefits. Cigarette smoking, drug use, and credit debt are just different expressions of this universal reality. As long as asbestos offers benefits on the cheap, and profits to producers, it will continue to be a worldwide problem.
The top countries by asbestos use are:
• India
• Russia
• China
• Kazakhstan
• Thailand
Canada is no longer a supporter of asbestos.
Banning asbestos is a luxury that much of the world feels they simply do not have. The asbestos industry is too big a part of the GDP of these countries to even consider giving up in the foreseeable future. As long as their short-term problems are greater than the long-term health risks to the poorest of their population, they have no incentive to change.
As with developed, Western nations, there have to be affordable alternatives for consumers. And producing it has to become unprofitable. When will it be banned worldwide? Consider this sobering fact: It is still being used in the U.S..
Written Jane Brown
