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Here are six reasons why it's significant and why we're excited about it!
1. Vietnam is a major importer of asbestos Australian unions fought for many years for a ban on the mining, import and use of asbestos, with a total ban finally arriving in 2003. The asbestos industry, locked out of markets in the developed world, started aggressively marketing chrysotile (white asbestos) in Asia, where the danger of the "devil's dust" is less widely known. Vietnam imports more than 65,000 tonnes of asbestos each year, mostly for use in manufacturing roof tiles.
2. Australian union members have had a lot to contribute to the campaign. Unfortunately, Australia has extensive experience of the scourge of asbestos and its legacy. But a number of Australian union educators, OHS officers and other experts have contributed their hard-won expertise to try to improve the situation in Vietnam. With donations from many Australian union members, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA has been working alongside the Vietnamese union movement and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health on asbestos disease prevention since 2009. We've helped develop OHS training to educate and support workers who are exposed to asbestos. And perhaps more importantly, in the meantime we've helped to build pressure on the government for a total ban.
3. Vietnam will phase out asbestos use by 2020 ...In 2009, awareness of the danger of asbestos was virtually non-existent amongst workers, employers and government officials alike. But after just 5 years, lobbying for a ban has borne results. The Vietnamese Ministry of Construction is now working on a detailed road-map to completely phase out asbestos use in construction by 2020. To win a result like this in a country where the pro-asbestos lobby is loud and well-resourced is amazing, and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved.
4. ... and monitor asbestos-related diseases Detecting and diagnosing asbestos-related diseases can be difficult. If you're not looking out for them, asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and asbestosis can be mistaken for other types of lung diseases and cancers. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Construction will now be strictly monitoring the manufacturing and use of asbestos products, meaning the government will be much better informed as it designs a long-term plan for the eradication of asbestos-related diseases.
5. Vietnam might change its international position on asbestos use, too Blue and brown forms of asbestos are both internationally banned under the UN's Rotterdam Convention on hazardous substances. Chrysotile (white asbestos) is not. Why? Because seven countries, including Vietnam, have blocked moves to add chrysotile to the Convention. Vietnam is now seriously considering changing its stance at the next Rotterdam Convention, putting more pressure on other nations like India, Russia, Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe to change their stance, too.On top of this, Vietnam has a lot of influence in South East Asia, especially in the Mekong region. Neighbouring Laos is another importer of asbestos, and we've been working there with the unions and others on asbestos awareness campaigns. They're likely to be watching Vietnam very closely on this issue.
6. The anti-asbestos campaign in Vietnam is gathering pace, and there's more to be done All of this is great news, but the fight against asbestos in Vietnam is far from over. Last month a new civil society group, Vietnam Ban Asbestos Network, announced its formation to campaign against asbestos imports. This is another huge step forward in a country where it's not always easy to form non-government organisations.
SUPPORT THIS WORK - We want to expand Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA's asbestos disease prevention work to other parts of South East Asia, such as Indonesia, where the fight is also just beginning. You can help by becoming a Global Justice Partner - click here!Media advice from APHEDA
