First Int'l Asbestos Conference in Asia Held in Tokyo, Nov. 2004

The Global Asbestos Conference 2004 was held in Tokyo from November 19 through 21, 2004, with an attendance of about 800 people, including 120 from over 40 countries and regions overseas.

During the conference, researchers, medical experts, victims and citizens' organizations reported on their initiatives, exchanged opinions and discussed health hazards caused by asbestos. On the final day, the conference adopted the Tokyo Declaration, which calls for the protection of workers and the public, the prevention of asbestos shipments to developing countries, and a global ban on the use and reuse of asbestos.

Since asbestos is highly fire-, heat- and wear-resistant, it has been used for years in many products, such as construction materials for roofs and outer walls. However, over time it has become clear that asbestos is carcinogenic and can trigger malignant mesothelioma and lung cancers after an incubation period of about 40 years. Some estimates predict up to about 100,000 asbestos-related deaths over the next 40 years in Japan.

Amid a global trend to ban asbestos, the European Union's total ban on the use of asbestos started in January 2005. In Asian countries such as China and Thailand, however, the use of asbestos has increased rapidly along with economic growth, and reports of serious health hazards are already beginning to emerge in the region.

In Japan, the use of asbestos is being gradually phased out, but it has not yet been completely prohibited. Moreover, a serious problem is the release of asbestos during the demolition of existing buildings or the collapse of buildings due to natural disasters such as the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. As the host country for this conference, Japan is now expected to show leadership in promoting a global ban on asbestos in the coming years.

http://park3.wakwak.com/~gac2004/index.htm

Posted: 2005/03/25 03:40:53 PM
Japanese version