TURIN
: In front of deathly silence
of the firm Eternit... Break the impunity ! Such is
the sense of
the
meeting organized by
the international network Banns Asbestos in Turin on
March 15th and 16th, 2010. Testimonies coming from
three continents... Fights so that justice is returned
to the victims of this announced global disaster...The
solidarity in the heart of the " globalization from
below "...For more information, read
the program and come to
join us.
For the international network Ban
Asbestos
Fulvio Aurora, Annie
Thébaud-Mony and all those who participate in
the event
Times of India,
Jaipur Edition, Saturday January 2,
2010
Airborne fibre in
asbestos units higher than permissible limit
Anindo Dey | TNN
Jaipur: It is not
just asbestos mines in the state that is causing
asbestosis amongst workers but an indepth study of the
small processing units in Rajasthan has brought to
fore that the airborne concentration of fibre in such
units are much higher than the prescribed national
permissible exposure limit.
The study, 'Human
Risk Assessment Studies in Asbestos Industries in
India,' was done under the leadership of Dr Qamar
Rahman, dean, Research and Development Integral
University, Lucknow and sponsored by the Central
Pollution Control Board.
Parts of the study
that was made public by Dr Qamar Rahman at a recent
meet in Delhi on the spread of asbestosis in the
country say that the air-borne fibre concentration in
small-scale asbestos processing units in the state
stands at 18-22 f/cc against the national limit of 0.5
f/ml.
According to Dr
Rahman, Rajasthan that produces 95% of India's
asbestos still has a lot of illegal asbestos mines
resulting in the birth of nearly half the country's
small scale asbestos processing units.
"Most of these
plants use indigenous tremolite asbestos and process
it using obsolete techniques. The housekeeping in
these units is very poor and children and pets often
play on heaps of asbestos," says Dr Rahman.
Heavy exposure to
airborne asbestos fibres over a prolonged period
results in asbestosis or a disease of the lungs
leading to lung cancer. The first symptoms of
asbestosis is breathlessness which however manifests
itself only after 20 years of first exposure.
But in case of
workers in small-scale units of the state, 59% of
those who have asbestosis were exposed to the fibre
only for five years. Out of the rest 22% had 5-10
years of exposure, 15% had 11-20 years and 4% had
20-30 years of exposure. In her study, Dr Rahman
explains that the reasons for the workers developing
asbestosis earlier than normal as exposure to the
highly fibrogenic termolite asbestos or due to double
exposure to cooking fuel smoke domestically and to
asbestos occupationally.
"This is an eye
opener for all of us. So far we were under the
impression that the manifestation of the disease
happens only after 20 years of exposure. This also
reveals the high concentration of asbestos fibre in
these small scale units," says Madhumita Dutta of the
Occupational and Environmental Health Network of India
(OEHNI).
According to Dr
Rahman the lung function tests of these workers
revealed high levels of obstruction. "Most of these
units do not follow the safety norms laid by the
government thus exposing workers to fatal-asbestos
related malignancies."
Press
Release
in Turin, November 25 : Eternit
The association Ban
Asbestos France is very sad to inform you of the death
Patrick Herman partner, Nicole Seurat. We thank every
one who know Patrick to think to him and to send some
message in solidarity :
patrick.herman@free.fr
Support
the bill to ban
Canada's asbestos exports.
Send
your letter to all party
leaders.
Presentation
of the Henri Pezerat Memorial
Award
(Hong-Kong
- April 27, 2009) -
article
IJOEH
in memoriam
Henri Pezerat by Laurie Kazan-Allen
The
Taipei
Declaration
for a Global
Asbestos Ban (May 15, 2009)
8 May - Dear
environmental, labor, human rights, health, activist :
Please take a few minutes to sign onto this global
statement of concern (attached) regarding the upcoming
International Maritime
Organization
Diplomatic
Conference on Ship Recycling. We will be taking this
Statement to the upcoming Conference in Hong Kong.
Those wishing to sign please send ... your name,
title, organization, and country to yuka@ban.org. Tank
you so much. Ingvild
Jenssen
(www.shipbreakingplatform.org)
NGO
Platform on Shipbreaking, Jim Puckett, Basel Action
Network.
Landmark
Ban Asbestos Conference in
China
(Hong Kong,
26-28 April 2009). Annie Thébaud-Mony, present
at the conference, represented Ban Asbestos
France.
click on the images for information
on cases in France
2 0 0
8
The
ITUC has condemned the decision to exclude chrysotile
asbestos
and the pesticide endosulfan from the list of
dangerous products under the Rotterdam Convention, the
international agreement which regulates exports of
hazardous
chemicals.
A wonderful article
about the
asbestos
demonstration
this weekend in Paris and Canada's role in the French
asbestos scandal! 2008 October
Media
Release,
August 13.2008, Canada obstructing U.N. Convention
over asbestos
European Report;
April 30, 2008 -
EU/ROTTERDAM
CONVENTION :
CONTROLS TO COVER ADDITIONAL HAZARDOUS
SUBSTANCES
Another three hazardous
substances - chrysotile asbestos, endosulfan and
tributyl tin compounds - could by the end of the year
be placed under the Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
procedure applicable to international trade in certain
hazardous chemicals and pesticides. In a draft Council
decision (COM(2008)176), the European Commission
proposes to support the proposal amending to that
effect Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention(1), which
will be submitted to the Fourth Conference of Parties
(Rome, 27-31 October 2008). The Commission considers
it "necessary and advisable" to support this proposal
to ensure that countries of import benefit from the
protection afforded by the convention. It notes that
the three substances are already prohibited or
strictly regulated in the EU and subject to export
requirements that are even stricter than those set by
the convention. The Rotterdam Convention encourages
the sharing of responsibilities and cooperation
between contracting parties in the area of
international trade in certain hazardous chemical
substances. It encourages ecologically rational use of
these substances by facilitating the exchange of
information on their characteristics, establishing a
national decision-making process applicable to import
and export, and notifying these decisions to the
contracting parties. Annex III contains the list of
chemical substances covered by the PIC procedure. The
document is available at www.europolitics.info >
Search > 224620
(1) The convention was
adopted in Rotterdam, on 10 September 1998, and
entered into force on 24 February 2004. It was
ratified by the EU on 25 September 2006. Council
Decision 2006/730/EC - OJ L 299 of 28 October 2006.
BAN ASBESTOS
CANADA - MEDIA RELEASE - March 16, 2008
Ban Asbestos Canada (BAC)
applauds the NDP's support for the World Health
organization's call for action to eliminate asbestos
disease and asbestos use around the world. "This is
the first Canadian parliamentary party to take a stand
against asbestos," said Larry Stoffman, executive
member of BAC and Chair of the National Committee on
Occupational and Environmental Exposures. "Canada is
one of the few industrialized countries who have
continued to mine and export asbestos while rejecting
the call of all independent, recognized scientific
organizations around the world to ban all forms of
asbestos." BAC is a
national coalition of labour, health, and
environmental groups that are dedicated to banning
asbestos in Canada, ensuring compensation for all
affected Canadian workers, and to promoting
international conventions aimed at controlling the
international trade in hazardous substances, such as
asbestos. "We look
forward to working with the NDP to ensure both real
economic support for laid off asbestos workers and a
comprehensive campaign for just compensation for
thousands of Canadian workers afflicted with asbestos
caused disease," said Wayne Peppard, Executive
Director of the BC & Yukon Construction Building
Trades Council. "Government support for this dying
industry that has exploited Quebec workers must stop
now." "From a public
health point of view, the NDP's support for the WHO's
position is, in our view, the only possible
responsible position," stated Micheline Marier of the
Association of Asbestos Victims of Quebec. "The
population in the Asbestos region has paid a heavy
price since the beginning of mining this mineral and
we call on governments to assist in the revitalization
of the region, as well as the environmental clean-up
of the former asbestos mines" said
Marier. Increasing
numbers of Canadians are dying from asbestos, the
world's biggest occupational health killer. In 2007 in
B.C., for example, over half of occupational deaths
were from asbestos-related disease."This carnage from
asbestos related fatalities is disastrous for those
workers and their families," Peppard said. "It's long
past time that the Canadian government stop the
production and use of
asbestos". Canada
exports over 95% of its asbestos to developing
countries and has continually undermined any attempt
to have asbestos banned or labeled as a dangerous
product. "We are
calling on all the political parties to end their
unholy alliance with the asbestos industry," said
Kathleen Ruff, founder of RightOnCanada, a citizens'
human rights group. "All the political parties say
their top commitment is to protect people's health.
Let's see them put that commitment into action
and eliminate asbestos use now."
Contacts: Larry Stoffman -
604-250-3713; Wayne Peppard - 778 388-0014; Kathleen
Ruff - 250-847-1848; Micheline Marier -
514-847-8381.
Announcement
(Wednesday,
March 19, 2008; Posted: 05:02 PM).THETFORD MINES,
QUEBEC, Mar 19, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX). Mazarin
Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MAZ.H) announces that its
wholly-owned subsidiary, 9075-6453 Quebec Inc. was
forced to assign all of its assets in the hands of
Raymond Chabot Inc., trustee. The subsidiary is the
owner of the Bell mine in Thetford Mines. Last August,
it had authorized, under certain conditions, 9184-6808
Quebec Inc. (LAB Chrysotile) to operate the mine. At
the end of this month, LAB Chrysotile will cease
operations at the Bell mine. After considering several
avenues, the subsidiary has concluded that its limited
financial resources did not allow it to operate the
mine or to meet its financial obligations on an
ongoing basis. This press release contains
forward-looking statements which reflect the Company's
current expectations regarding future events. The
forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially
from those projected herein. The TSX Venture Exchange
does not
accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release. SOURCE: Mazarin Inc. According to a press
article, it appears that law through access to
information in Canada, it was discovered in 2006 that
there is some kind of understanding between Canada and
other exporting countries asbestos (like Russia and
Kyrgyzstan), to maintain artificially high prices of
asbestos in order to prevent the bankruptcy of the
Canadian asbestos in return for funding of the
institute of chrysotile by Canada which becomes the
propagandist of asbestos in the world. But last year,
the Canadian dollar has risen considerably, thereby
increasing the cost of Canadian goods to other
countries that can no longer sustain competition. And
that is perhaps the reason, in spite of the agreement,
the bankruptcy of the mine Bell Thetfort Mines.
Media
release
dated March 11, 2008, OMG in the world, to save
the Rotterdam Convention
Endangering
others: the
appeal court of Douai just order the company Alstom,
March 6, 2008, be punished by a fine of 75,000 euros
(confirming the judgement of first instance in Lille
in 2006) for knowingly allowed the 300 employees of
the Lys-Les-Lannoy into contact with asbestos in full
knowledge of the risks from 1998 to 2001, and a former
director of the factory in 3000 euros fine and 3
months suspended prison term (instead of 9 months
sentence in the first instance, the Court having
considered that the director was merely relaying the
will of the leadership, minimizing liability). On this
last point, the employees are very unhappy because
more than 100 of them are sick from asbestos and a
dozen died. On March 14, Alstom Power Boilers
indicates that it does not provide for judicial
review.
International
Meeting in
Austria
on 6 and 7 February 2008 for a ban on asbestos in
the world.
Report
Henri
Pezerat
against Bernstein's work on chrysotile asbestos
Aulnay-Sous-Bois'
CMMP
disused
factory
A new demolition
permit and a new plan for asbestos removal must be
presented for the totallity of the site, after the
annulation, cancellation by law of those given only
for block B (old asbestos workshop).
The prefect, during
a meeting including the associations, promised that a
first flexible project, adressed to the Health, Labour
and Ecology ministries for verification, would then be
submitted, for discussion, to all protagonists,
including the associations (letter sent be the
associations on the 31/10/2007 to the
ministers).
On Saturday
25/11/2007, France3 mentionned the file on this
contaminated site (see videos on page struggle
/history and it was mentionned that the prefecture
would at last give to CMMP the order to take numerous
samples, so far this has not been done, when the
regularitions insist on this before any demolition
work is started (the associations have been asking for
this for years). On the 10/12/07 they send to the
ministries another letter which specific regards as to
technical issues. On the 25/02/2008, the associations
contacted the prefect again, because there was
absolutly no follow up to the France3 november
broadcast. Complete radio silence !
On the 29/03/2008
they wrote to the new Aulnay Sous Bois mayor to inform
him of the polluted site present situation and to ask
for his support in installing an external protection
bubble. On the 07/04/2008 they send a reminder to the
ministries (Health, Labour, Ecology), the 11/04 they
issued a press release and the 06/04 they organised a
public meeting. Around 100 people came to the
Gainville suite in Aulnay Sous Bois. The new mayor and
his environmental aide were present. Monsieur
Ségura, was in favour of "demolition in the
best conditions", then Monsieur Amédro asserted
that "the town is for demolition under external
protection airtight bubble". They promised their
support to the associations in their approach to the
authorithies and to act for the installation of urgent
measures for the safety of the locals. At the end of
the meeting, two motions were voted by the
participants to be sent to the prefect.
The new mayor wrote
to the Prefect about the emergency procedure for the
safety of the locals and issued a press release. The
associations will meet him soon. The Mayor is to meet
on site with the associations on the 3rd June. In this
way, they will be able to witness the immediate
security measures taken by the owner, before work on
the site can be started.
In the Aulnay
municipality May 2008 number, a lenghthy article tells
of the old CMMP factory site, in which it is confirmed
that the new municipality, which gives itself eighteen
months to sort everything out, is favourable to an
outside confining. We congratulate ourselves,
this will help in resolving this conflict which has
been going on for ten years.
The work inspection
of Aulnay has recently send a letter to CMMP and to
the present owner on the methodology to respect
regarding asbestos that is to say an our and
waterproof external confinment which is after all the
application of the disposition of asbestos.
As well, CRAMIF
send them the same king of letter : in this matter,
CRAMIF, with it's ingeneers and technicians, outs as
technical adviser for the work inspection, when it is
requested.
This control has
always been demanded by the prefect on the two
June.
The associations
met the prefecture represantative at the towerhall on
the nine November. Were present the mayor and his
environment deputy. They repeated their propositions
to come out of the inertia of the present situation.
Following this, on the September 17, to the prefect,
regarding the 7th prefectorial decree destined for the
CMMP (it must be remembered that after th 4th decree
of 2004, the CMMP went to law about the distribution
of cost regarding depolution and demolition, beetween
the actual owner and itself and to avoid erecting a
bubble acound the buildings and polluted grounds and
that the judge's decision was only given in July 2007
!).
During the week-end
of the 27 th and 28 th of September 2008, the
associations held a stand at the old Aulnay
association forum. An exposition on the history of the
CMMP factory pollution (development of the situation)
and a 5 mn continuons film informed the public. A
petition collected 500 signatures during that week-end
with the view of enforcing the respect of the rules
(air tight bubble) during the work of
decontamination-demolition of the old
factory.
Watch this space
....
The
Albert tower in Paris
:
In regard to the
disposal of asbestos, the foreman insisted on the
solutions recommended by CRAMIF with the endorsment by
the work Inspection Department. It brought about
further costs, but that's the price of safety. The
cheap working yards for asbestos removal, are most of
the time in breach of regulations (at the last
national control, 75 % the sites were in infraction
!). In the case of the Albert tower with its twenty
three floors and three elevators in the well an
adequate solution had to be found : one elevator cut
off, the working machinary protected by airtight
casing which will completly cut it off from the well,
stopage of the working of the elevators during the
dust removal from the well at night, the use of the
roof of the elevators as scaffolding. The three
elevators go down simultanously as the dust removal
progresses, from the top to the bottom while a strong
air current blows in the same direction to stop the
fibres going back up and thus contaminate the clean
areas. In this way, the disposing of the asbestos can
be done following regulations. The work is done in
several stages.
Today, the fourth
phase of the work has been put back several weeks,
following the breaching of a wall leading to a suspect
flocking in the car park area. Alerted by the
co-owners, Ban Asbestos send a mail on the 25/02/2008
to the work inspector supervising this site. Work
should normally start again on Monday 21/04. The
preparation of the site starting again towards the
suspect flocking, Ban Asbestos went on site to take
photos and to intervene once again with the work
inspector.
No account was
taken of our warnings and the disposal of asbestos
started again the week of the 25/04 during 5 nights
with access to the car park doubtful flocking. Now,
this time, will precautions be taken for the
dismantling of this site ? Will the suspect flocking
be at last taken away following regulations for flaky
asbestos ?
Watch this site
....
The
"Comédie Française" in Paris
:
For the second time
in a few months, the leading institution of a certain
"french culture" found itself in front of the "social
security cases court ", to answer to the accusation of
inexcusable negligence.
A first action had
been taken by the widow of F. Delayre, electrician at
the "Comédie Française". He died of a
bronco pulmonary cancer. The judgement given by the
Auxerre (TASS) had heavily sanctionned the famous
house, who since has appealed.
On the 02/02/2008,
in Nanterre, madame D. Brought a charge against this
establishment. Her husband, a machinist/stage hand,
had worked for them all his life. He died on the
27/04/2003 of a fibrosis diagnosed in 1980.
Solicitor for the
D. Family, maître Sylvie Topoaloff, presented
all the different elements of a daming case against
mister D's employer, from the medical certificate
asking the recognition of a professional illness, to
the repeated interventions by CHSCT, the CRAMIF, etc
...
"An extradocumented
file on the realisation of the danger" concluded
maître Topaloff.
In answer, the
lawyer for the Comédie Française tried
to discredit the testimonies of the file, while
trivalising the origins of the asbestos pollution of
the site and trying to present it as a succession of
airtight compartments, free of all lethal fibres. She
then produced her joker : the certificate of an
"independant" (sic) doctor, who reinterpreted without
the permission of the family and in violation of
professional ethic, the medical file of Mr D. Among
this interpretation, one must note "hypersensibility
to birds" because Mr D. Kept a canary. Nobody knew,
until now, that feathers could cause pulmonary
fibrosis.
Judgement was
given. It did not condemn the Comédie
Française for gross negligence and dismissed
all the widow's demands. It provoked utter
consternation and great anger within the victim's
family and quite rightly because the case against the
Comedie was overwhelming. Monsieur D'family has
decided to appeal. The complete file will be
transfered to the Versailles Appeal Court.
The second
proceeding against the Comedie Française
(Monsieur Delayre) must take place on June 12 to
Appeal Court.
Watch this site
......
