Asbestos : Country Profile BANGLADESH

Dr. S M MorshedVice Chairperson, OSHE

Bangladesh Occupational Health, Safety and

Environment Foundation (OHSE)

www.oshebd.com

Presentation outline

Demographic and Socio Economic Date Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos Import of Asbestos in Bangladesh Asbestos consumption Asbestos contained materials Domestic Production of Asbestos & Asbestos containing materials Estimate workers exposed to asbestos Industries exposure to asbestos and high risk of exposure Burden of Asbestos Related Diseases System for Inspection and exposure limits Major studies on epidemiology of asbestos related diseases

Bangladesh –at a glance

Total Population 153 million

Life Expectancy 67 Years

Poverty Rate 29.06 %

Literacy Rate 50.82%

Total Labor Force 57 million

Labor in Industry 17.64%

Per Capita Income 923 US dollar

Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos

By regulation Asbestos are not “illegal” or unauthorized in Bangladesh.

Import Policy for 2009-2012 has no restriction on asbestos.

there is no specific government circular prohibiting internal production of asbestos.

Ministry of Commerce is responsible for controlling Asbestos in Bangladesh  

Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos

1. Bangladesh Customs Tariff Code (BCTC) mentioned of asbestos as importable items

2. BCTC classifiably mentioned asbestos cement, fabricated asbestos of fibers, mixtures with a basis of asbestos, compressed asbestos fibers jointing, in sheets or rolls, friction materials containing asbestos.

Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos

Labour Act -2006 of Bangladesh has declared 'Asbestosis' as a occupational disease.

Govt. has imposed only 25% import tax on it. Asbestos traders are commonly alleged for hiding the information. Due to that exact volume of imported asbestos cannot be found.

Import of Asbestos in Bangladesh

Fiscal Year Duration Total Import USD

Monthly import USD

Remarks

2010-2011 July 2010- January 2011

10,03,866 143409 Statistics Locally available but could not be verified from any alternate source

2009-2010 July 2009- June 2010 15,47,880 128990

Source: Import Department of Bangladesh

2008 Jan- DEC 417240

Source: United State Geographical Survey (USGS)

2007 Jan-Dec 470184 39182 Statistics available in international documents2006 Jan- Dec 447876 37323

2005 Jan-Dec 447876 37323

2004 Jan- Dec 343200 28600

2003 Jan- Dec 480480 40040

Source: Publicintegrity.org/asbestos consumption

Sources of Asbestos being imported in Bangladesh

Australia, Austria Bulgaria, Canada China, Cambodia Denmark, Finland French, Germany Hongkong India

Source – Bangladesh Bank

Types of asbestos & asbestos contained materials imported

Raw Asbestos Article of Asbestos

Cement. Cellulose fibre-cement or

the like Corrugated Sheets Asbestos sheets Asbestos Panel Asbestos Tiles Asbestos Tubes Asbestos Pipes Asbestos Pipe Fittings

Fabricated asbestos fibers (thread, woven fabric, clothing, head-gear, footwear, gaskets).

Clothing Footwear Headgear Paper Mill hoard Asbestos fiber jointing in sheet or roll Friction materials (sheets, rolls, stips,

segments, disks, washers, pads for brakes or clutches)

Brake linings or pads

Forms of Asbestos

Raw asbestos Metallic form Gaseous form Food-graded form Powder form

 USE of ASBESTOS

Construction industry: insulation, sound absorption, strengthen cement.

Car Manufacture: brake shoes clutch pads, gaskets.

Shipbuilding: to insulate boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes.

Everyday Exposure: heat mats, carpet, blankets etc.

Domestic production of asbestos containing materials

Asbestos is widely used in dying of clothes.

The dying factories use liquid form of asbestos to ensure the color more brightness and longevity.

Estimate workers exposed to asbestos

  There is no specific survey findings on how many workers are exposed to asbestos in the country.

List of industries where exposure to asbestos

a) Construction Industry

b) Car manufacturing Industry

c) Ship breaking Industry

d) Shoe Making Industry

e) Electronic Pen Production Industry

f) Food Production Industry

g) Shoe making Industry

h) Paper production industry

Largest number of workers potentially exposed to asbestos

  Construction Industry Car Manufacturing Industry Ship breaking Industry

 Ship Breaking Industries : High Risk of Exposure

Survey Findings Knowledge Level on Asbestos

1 out of 17 ship breaking yard managers knows about Asbestos

5% of the worker-supervisors are aware of Asbestos

2% of the general workers heard the word ASBESTOS

RISK ANALYSIS : Workers Attitude towards ASBESTOS

Workers show a reluctant attitude even when they hear about possible harmful affects of asbestos exposure as they never heard anybody suffering from any diseases due to this.

Burden of Asbestos Related Diseases

National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) under the Ministry of Health mentioned in the position paper that several serious conditions are indirectly caused by Asbestosis, such as Mesothelioma, heart disease and lung cancer. But NIPSOM did not mention any information on disability adjusted life years.

Incidence of diseases & compensation

There is no case of official acknowledgment as asbestos victims

Directorate of Health Could not provide information on asbestos related diseases

The Labour Act-2006 of GoB acknowledged asbestos related diseases as compensable.

 Government Mechanism for Inspection and compensation

The The Government mechanism is that Department of Inspection under the Ministry of Labour and Employment is responsible for enforcement even to ensure the compensation, where applicable in line with Labour Act

GAP Analysis

1. Inadequate Information on Asbestos

2. Lack of understanding at different levels 3. Lack of interest among Govt. agencies to explore asbestos related information

4. Lack of Media Role on asbestos as public health issue

5. Importers are not aware on health hazard of asbestos.

6. Lack of research on asbestos in public health domain

7. Lack of diagnosis and identification asbestos victim

a) Conducting basic research and compilation of information from secondary sources

b) Sharing findings with stakeholders

c) Promoting the discussion and advocacy action on ban asbestos at different level

d) Building social alliance with different stakeholders.

e) Production & dissemination of campaign materials

f) Awareness raising in ship breaking yard and construction sector.

Ongoing campaign initiatives by OSHE

Extensive research /study on use and effects of asbestos in Bangladesh

Strengthening collaborative actions ( Ban Asbestos Network, Bangladesh ) and Develop Campaign Strategy

Production of IEC materials on asbestos issues Orientation on Ban Asbestos for importers, GoV. officials and

Media Persons Introduce special diagnosis facilities in public hospitals for

workers dealing with asbestos

Towards Future Campaign Program

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