Asbestos Management 

General information

Up to 95 % of all Asbestos applications contain Chrysotile. Chrysotile is the only Asbestos mineral in the serpentine group. Today, Chrysotile is still being mined both in underground and open pit mines for example in Russia, Kazakhstan or China. Currently, there is no international Asbestos ban.

The amphibole Asbestos types are included in the Rotterdam (Annex III) and the Basel Convention (Annex I, III und VIII), they however, only represent 5 to 10 % of all Asbestos applications.

In Switzerland, the usage of all Asbestos minerals was generally prohibited in 1990. Furthermore, there is an Asbestos ban in the EC, however with some exceptions.

To this day, Asbestos is still being mined, produced, added to numerous products and sold and exported to many countries. Estimated production is up to 4’000’000 tonnes per year. China, Russia and India count among the major users. In many countries, economic reasons still prevail over efforts to cease Asbestos production.

Legal situation

Switzerland: Due to the high danger potential of friable Asbestos fibres, Swiss legislation stipulates that friable Asbestos materials must be reported and removed. The Swiss national Asbestos guidelines and fact sheets detail the approved removal techniques and associated precautions.

EC: The usage and sale of Asbestos has been prohibited in the EC since 2005. This ban also includes Chrysotile. Furthermore, EC legislation lays down the limit values for Asbestos exposure in the workplace.

Worldwide: There are national Asbestos bans in some countries, for example in Australia. However, these bans hardly ever include all Asbestos applications.

International Conventions: Asbestos and Asbestos wastes are mentioned in Annex I und III of the Basel Convention. Consequently, transfrontier movements of Asbestos are only permitted after prior consent of the exporting, importing and transit countries. Different Asbestos minerals, such as Amosite and Crocidolite are listed in the Rotterdam Convention. The most common type Chrysotile, however, which has been used in up to 95 % of all Asbestos applications, is still missing. During the last Conference of the Parties of the Rotterdam Convention, Chrysotile was once again not added to the banned chemicals list due to strong political opposition. 

Solution to the problem

In order to be able to control Asbestos similarly like other hazardous materials and chemicals, all types of Asbestos minerals must be added to the International Conventions. A worldwide general Asbestos ban must be aimed at.

Due to the fact that many industries, countries and private stakeholders are still unaware of the risks posed by Asbestos, awareness raising activities must be undertaken.

In particular, the adverse health effects of Chrysotile are still greatly underestimated. One of the reasons for this ignorance is the long period of latency of up to 40 years.

ETI services

ETI offers country-specific awareness raising workshops and training courses in Asbestos Management worldwide. Theoretical training provides background knowledge on dangers, uses and fields of application of Asbestos. Identification, handling, packaging, temporary storage as well as the safe and sound transport and disposal of Asbestos materials are presented by means of case studies. References to the relevant conventions and laws, e.g. the Rotterdam and Basel Convention, are also part of the programme. Visual checks, sampling, inventory, labelling, risk analysis, as well as possible immediate safety measures with regard to Asbestos containing building materials and devices are trained in the theoretical part of the training, and then immediately put in practice during the practical part. The workshop participants will learn to handle Asbestos in an environmentally sound manner by using the materials and tools available in the country, according to the motto: “Show them how to do it with the available infrastructure”. In addition, we develop and provide country- or region-specific handbooks and guidelines, as well as fact sheets on the environmentally sound and sustainable management of Asbestos. Whenever possible, NGOs (Non-governmental Organisations) are involved in workshops and training courses. This will provide the NGOs with the necessary knowledge to enhance their role in the project and help them to contribute actively during identification and disposal of hazardous materials in their countries.

Asbestos workshops at a glance 

• Capacity Building
• Awareness Raising
• Identification and Sampling 
• Environmentally Sound Management of Asbestos
• BAT / BEP Training

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