Total Asbestos Ban To Be Passed In South Africa -- MesoLink.org -- 07-12-06

It has been revealed that South African officials are making plans to place a total asbestos ban by banning fibers from auto products, piping, and other structures and equipment in which the dangerous substance has been used. This decision is a recent one even though officials knew about the dangers of asbestos use many decades ago.

The Government Gazette is to publish draft regulations later this week in relation to a ban on the import and export of asbestos products. This will also extend to a ban on the production and use of asbestos products. The cabinet approved the decision to publish the draft regulation, and those violating new regulation in this area could face hefty penalties and sentences.

Asbestos is a substance that was once widely used in wide range of applications and products such as building structures, car parts, household products, and more. However, airborne dust and fibers can cause a wide range of health problems, including a deadly cancer known as mesothelioma.

Officials in South Africa state that there is no real concern with regards to job losses over the ban on asbestos, as they state that there are only a couple of hundred people left that are directly employed in this field.