World Bank Releases Construction Guidance To Reduce Use Of Asbestos

The World Bank has finally released their construction guidance report that is hoped to drastically decrease the use of asbestos in construction projects around the world. The report was commissioned in 2006 but was not reviewed for another two years. In 2008 the project was stalled while awaiting final administrative approval. Then in March of 2009 Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D) from Ohio stepped in by sending a letter to Robert Zoellick, World Bank President, inquiring about the delay.

The new guidance report warns against the use of asbestos, “Health hazards from breathing asbestos dust include asbestosis, a lung scarring disease, and various forms of cancer … Mesothelioma, a signal tumor for asbestos exposure, occurs among workers’ family members from dust on the workers’ clothes and among neighbors of asbestos air pollution point sources.  Some experimental animal studies show that high inhalation exposures to all forms of asbestos for only hours can cause cancer.”

Kucinich has hopes that the new construction guidance report will educate and reduce the amount of asbestos containing products that are used globally. “Asbestos is a highly toxic material that has no place in construction projects here or anywhere else, especially when viable alternatives are available.  This guidance will reduce exposure and permanent lung damage to citizens and workers around the world,” he said, “”Global asbestos use is on the rise at the very time it should be eliminated.  This report is a necessary first step toward reversing that trend.”

Source: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/05/21-9

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   June 15, 2010 at 1:25 pm

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