Calls for Asbestos Bans in Middle East Grow Due to Concerns of Mesothelioma and Other Risks

Researchers estimate that nearly 100,000 people across the globe die each year due to asbestos exposure. Scientists have established a strong link between the incidence of mesothelioma, a form of cancer that affects the fluid lining of the lungs, and long-term exposure to asbestos fibers. According to a report from the United Nations World Health Organization, mesothelioma and other lung diseases related to asbestos exposure lead to more fatal cases worldwide than skin cancer. Such diseases have also been shown to be the most dangerous work-related hazard, well behind accidents, fires and exposure to other toxic substances.

While the mining, manufacture and use of asbestos is banned in several nations in North America and Europe, the small Mideast nation of the United Arab Emirates has not enacted any laws prohibiting workers from dealing with the dangerous material. The UAE, known primarily for the oil-rich emirate of Dubai, still uses asbestos in its numerous construction projects to insulate walls and plumbing systems, even as the WHO has called for a worldwide ban.

According to one report, the UAE used over 17,000 metric tons of asbestos in 2007. A ban on the use of insulation boards laced with asbestos has only been in effect in the country since November 2006, but the factories were allowed an additional twelve months to completed the shutdown process. Many structures completed in recent years still carry the potential health hazard. Workers in Dubai often mix cement with asbestos fibers in open spaces and numerous factories in the emirate still create other asbestos products.

However, many neighboring Mideast states have banned the use of asbestos. Saudi Arabia and Oman have enacted complete bans on the use of asbestos-containing materials. Even the neighboring emirate of Abu Dhabi has implemented the use of safer substitutes for asbestos in their expanding construction industry.

Charles Faulkner, an environmental consultant who specializes in asbestos remediation and management, estimated that more than three thousand different types of building materials used in the UAE might contain asbestos. Mr. Faulkner made a presentation to the Emirates Environment Group, a local organization concerned with environmental and safety issues. In his presentation, Mr. Faulkner showed a neighborhood in Dubai that had almost four hundred residences, all of which had roofing materials that contained asbestos.

Another concern about asbestos management in the region comes from how companies and authorities deal with building demolition. Local law dictates that buildings must be inspected for asbestos before they can be taken down. In many cases, the building owners will not disclose the presence of asbestos to potential contractors in order to avoid paying for the expensive and time-consuming process of abatement and disposal. Demolition firms, unaware of the hazards, will frequently not take the proper precautions to insure their workers' safety. Also, local law enforcement officials often fail to recognize and punish such infractions.

Mr. Faulkner also stated that many of the deaths related to asbestos exposure might not be as a direct result of on-site contamination. He cited studies that have shown how workers at these sites will often carry asbestos fibers in their clothes and, inadvertently, expose their family members to the asbestos. He has called for authorities in Dubai and other neighboring states to consider a ban on all construction materials containing asbestos and switch over to safer alternatives.

Sources: Arabian Business News, GulfNews.com

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