Asbestos Use in the Middle East
As asbestos consumption continues to fall in industrialized countries, global producers aggressively market consumers in developing countries. In 2003, chrysotile (white asbestos) use in the Middle East and in Africa accounted for about 20% of world demand.1 Asbestos imports to the Middle East in 2003, the latest year for which figures are available, were:
Value of Asbestos Imports (2003)
|United Arab Emirates||10,787,000|
|Syrian Arab Republic||6,000|
The lack of published data and the fact that not one country in the region has ratified ILO Convention No. 162, which stipulates the implementation of health and safety measures to safeguard people working with asbestos, are causes for concern. Of the 20 or more countries in the Middle East, only Egypt and Saudi Arabia have banned asbestos.
Although the asbestos ban in Saudi Arabia is believed to be holding, the Egyptian ban is under constant pressure. An article entitled: Banned material still being used appeared in The Egyptian Gazette on June 28, 2006. Journalist Amina Abdul Salam described the current situation regarding asbestos use in Egypt as anarchy, with people still using asbestos despite the fact that it can no longer be used, according to decisions taken by the ministers of environment, industry and foreign trade.2 According to Professor Salah el-Haggar from the American University in Cairo, asbestos is still being used in Egypt in the production of insulation boards, asbestos-cement water pipes and fire-resistant clothing.3
July 5, 2006
3 In Egypt, there are 50 million kilometres of asbestos-cement water pipes, containing an average of 12% asbestos.