India's Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers accused of tampering with study on asbestos

New Delhi, India – Environmental groups are accusing the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers of tampering with a study on white asbestos.

The Ban Asbestos Network of India and several other groups have attained documents using the Right to Information Act that they say prove the ministry’s alleged involvement in trying to influence the study to maintain that asbestos should continue to be used in the country.

Although the substance has been banned in 40 countries, it is still widely used in India for products such as roofing sheets, flat sheets, cement pipes, industrial gloves, and brake linings and pads. There are over 30 companies in India that produce products that contain asbestos.

An environmentalist claims that the ministry is conspiring with the asbestos industry to influence safety studies conducted on the material. The study which examines workers in the asbestos industry as part of the research is being conducted by the National Institute of Occupational Health. The study was requested by the ministry in the first place.

Workers at an asbestos company in Calcutta, the NIOH found, contained lung abnormalities of up to 32 percent. However, before the findings could be reviewed by scientist or released to the public, the ministry asked the NIOH to justify its finding to show whether asbestos was the direct cause.

A review committee created by the ministry announced at a meeting in April that the report would be finalized after it had discussed the findings of the study with the asbestos industry.

A BANI representative said that the ministry wants shape India’s domestic policy on asbestos.

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