In January 2024, the Mexican Congress proposed to formulate Article 283 to the General Health Law Regulations. This proposed amendment intends to prohibit the extraction, production, import, export, sale, or distribution of asbestos and its products in the Mexican market. This proposal aims to safeguard public health and environmental safety and further reduce its potential risks to human health.
Under the NOM-010-STPS-2014, the 'Exposure Limit Value' (VLE) for any asbestos is set at 0.1 f/cm³(fibers per cubic centimeter). However, the American research believes that this VLE is insufficient to safeguard the public health. Therefore, Mexico is now moving forward with a proposal to ban asbestos products entirely, driven by heightened concerns about public health and safety.
What is Asbestos?
As a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals, asbestos is used by automobile, construction and chemical industries for many years due to its particular properties such as high tensile strength, non-flammable and chemical resistance. The main types of asbestos are:
- Crisotilo (white asbestos): Crisotilo is extensively used in products like asbestos cement and pipe joints;
- Amphibole asbestos: including Crocidolite, Amosite, Actinolite, Anthophyllite, and Tremolite. Amphibole asbestos is mainly used for insulation and automotive brakes.
However, such as mineral causes harmful effects to human health, including different types of cancer. Therefore, asbestos has been banned since the 1980s in many countries. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans. The exposure to asbestos causes cancer of the lung, larynx and ovaries. Exposure to asbestos in the workplace may even cause death. After exposure occurs, asbestos can't be removed from the lungs and it is urgent for people concerned about asbestos exposure to visit their doctor at once.
Global efforts to ban asbestos
In July 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formulated new restrictions on asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to limit the use of asbestos in specific products and processing technologies.
Olin Corporation, a major chlor-alkali producer in the US, has decided to immediately stop the import of asbestos. This company plans to phase out asbestos diaphragms within two years and completely eliminate their use within 7 years.
It is estimated that more than 60 countries have banned the use of asbestos, including Germany, Turkey, Japan, UK, Spain and Italy, and some countries continue to mine and consume this toxic mineral in alarming quantities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to completely end asbestos-related diseases through the following aspects:
- to end the worldwide use of all types of asbestos;
- to help countries replace asbestos materials with safer substitutes;
- to improve early diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services for asbestos-related conditions; and
- to create registries of people exposed to asbestos and offer medical surveillance.
