There’s Still a Global Market For Asbestos --Why Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma
Despite the fact that malignant mesothelioma is an exceedingly rare form of cancer, most Americans have heard of the disease and are aware that it is caused by exposure to asbestos, a mineral that was once widely used in the United States for construction and industrial purposes. That familiarity is in part due to the efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency, which made information about asbestos public in the 1970s, and in part due to the efforts of advocates and attorneys who have sought justice for those who have suffered as a result of exposure to the material. Unfortunately, that level of awareness is not global: there are many places around the world that continue to use asbestos, and those countries are putting the health of their citizens at risk.
In the United States mesothelioma is diagnosed in approximately 3,500 people per year, and roughy 43,000 around the world. Though the highest rates of mesothelioma are currently found in Australis, Belgium and Great Britain, this is largely a result of those countries’ use of the material decades ago: it is expected that their mesothelioma incidence will fall in the years to come. By contrast, the rate of death for malignant mesothelioma is expected to continue rising in the lower and middle income countries where its use is still common and where awareness is not as great.
While countries around the world continue to ban the use of mesothelioma completely, it is still being used in roughly 70 percent of the world. The total global trade of asbestos is estimated to be worth approximately $350 million dollars, with more asbestos exported by Russia than anywhere else in the world, and China, India, Brazil and Kazakhstan making up the balance of the world’s suppliers. Zimbabwe has recently announced that they are exploring the idea of reopening their asbestos mines in an effort to turn their economy around. Though the country’s health experts are arguing against this move, many of the political leaders are defending the action, saying that the chrysotile asbestos found in the region is not as dangerous as other forms. This theory has been largely disproven by science.
The only way to stop countries from exporting asbestos is to put a stop to the demand for the product. Canada, Vietnam, Thailand, Moldova, Taiwan and the Philippines are all expected to be the next countries to completely ban the material in the next few years, and many hope that the United States will join that list soon.
https://mesothelioma.net/mesothelioma-news/despite-concerns-mesothelioma-theres-still-global-market-asbestos/
In the United States mesothelioma is diagnosed in approximately 3,500 people per year, and roughy 43,000 around the world. Though the highest rates of mesothelioma are currently found in Australis, Belgium and Great Britain, this is largely a result of those countries’ use of the material decades ago: it is expected that their mesothelioma incidence will fall in the years to come. By contrast, the rate of death for malignant mesothelioma is expected to continue rising in the lower and middle income countries where its use is still common and where awareness is not as great.
While countries around the world continue to ban the use of mesothelioma completely, it is still being used in roughly 70 percent of the world. The total global trade of asbestos is estimated to be worth approximately $350 million dollars, with more asbestos exported by Russia than anywhere else in the world, and China, India, Brazil and Kazakhstan making up the balance of the world’s suppliers. Zimbabwe has recently announced that they are exploring the idea of reopening their asbestos mines in an effort to turn their economy around. Though the country’s health experts are arguing against this move, many of the political leaders are defending the action, saying that the chrysotile asbestos found in the region is not as dangerous as other forms. This theory has been largely disproven by science.
The only way to stop countries from exporting asbestos is to put a stop to the demand for the product. Canada, Vietnam, Thailand, Moldova, Taiwan and the Philippines are all expected to be the next countries to completely ban the material in the next few years, and many hope that the United States will join that list soon.
https://mesothelioma.net/mesothelioma-news/despite-concerns-mesothelioma-theres-still-global-market-asbestos/