What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals composed of long, thin fibres, with different shapes and colours. Chrysotile asbestos is the most commonly used and commercially important type of asbestos nowadays. It has curly, serpentine-shaped fibres and is primarily composed of magnesium and silicate.
Asbestos production and uses
Asbestos’ unique physico-chemical properties – resistance to heat and fire, insulation capability, chemical inertness and strength – led to its widespread use for centuries - in industries such as building and construction, shipbuilding, automobile, textiles, electronics, aerospace, mining and milling, petrochemicals. Asbestos containing materials – known as ACMs - have been used in more than 3,000 manufactured products.
At its peak in the 1970s, global asbestos production was as high as 4.8 million metric tons. Still, in 2023, the world mine production of asbestos was estimated to be approximately 1.3 million metric tons. Millions of metric tons of asbestos are still in buildings and in products across the world, and new ACMs are being manufactured and introduced into commerce.
Asbestos hazardous effects
Thanks to accumulated knowledge on its adverse health effects, i.e. mesothelioma, asbestosis and cancers of the lung, larynx, and ovary, many countries strengthened the regulations on asbestos use.
Globally in 2016, occupational exposure to asbestos caused an estimated 209,481 deaths, which stands for more than 70 per cent of all deaths from work-related cancers. Asbestos contamination as an impurity has been found in consumer products, including powdered cosmetics, baby powder and crayons.
Asbestos in Multilateral Environmental Agreements
The Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade lists five varieties of asbestos: actinolite, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite and tremolite. The listing of chrysotile asbestos in the Convention has been considered by the governing body of the Convention since its third meeting in 2006.
Asbestos global exports - imports
Zou et al. 2023 analysed 66,156 trade records from the United Nations Comtrade database for the period of 2004–2019 covering 46 chemicals or groups listed under the Rotterdam Convention to investigate the continuing large-scale global trade and illegal trade of highly hazardous chemicals.
From that study, the top trade flows of asbestos materials in 2022 can be estimated (see Figure below). Currently, the same HS code 2524.90 is assigned for actinolite, anthophyllite, amosite, chrysotile and tremolite. The crocidolite trade shows a clear declining tendency (for example, about 0.3 kilo tonnes in 2019, which is 2 per cent of the trade volume in 2010). By contrast, trade activities for the other five varieties remain constant since 2013 – at an annual trade of around 1 megaton – with chrysotile being dominant.
Economic cost of asbestos
There is ongoing evidence that mismanagement of asbestos is resulting in elevated healthcare expenses that surpass any benefits. Over the lifetime of all patients with an asbestos-related disease, burden of disease costs has been estimated to be US$11 billion.
An examination of the economic effects of asbestos bans concluded that in countries that transitioned away from asbestos, no negative economic impact was seen following the enforcement of the bans. In certain instances, the lack of consensus within the government has hindered national efforts to implement effective controls and/or bans on asbestos use, highlighting the difficulty of achieving multisectoral governance.
Recommended options for management of asbestos suggested to guide relevant stakeholders and others:
- Reinforcing legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms to bolster the elimination asbestos-related diseases by stopping the use of all types of asbestos and managing asbestos risks across its entire life cycle.
- Investigating and adopting safer alternatives to asbestos and incorporating innovative and sustainable solutions throughout product value chains, using a life-cycle approach.
- Adopting evidence-based strategies to deal with asbestos already in use and to tackle the legacy uses and exposure to asbestos.
- Cultivating partnerships and improving resource mobilization, to reinforce capacity-building and advance awareness-raising efforts about the risks of asbestos.
- Enhancing the generation of comprehensive knowledge and data, strengthening early diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation services, and ensuring access to information concerning asbestos to support informed decision-making and actions.
The aforementioned information, among other details, is contained in document UNEP/EA.6/INF/14 - Information on implementation of paragraph 24 of resolution 5/7 on the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste – presenting a paper entitled "Options for addressing Asbestos contaminants in products and the environment” - Note by the Secretariat, which is to be considered at the 6th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
