General overview
This document studies the use of the chrysotile asbestos fibre from an international field of scientific and institutional data covering its advantages and disadvantages, and particularly its effects on human health and, thus, its consequences for the fibre industry in general.
The distinguishing qualities of the chrysotile mineral fibre, marquedly differentiates it from the amphibole variety and makes it of the outmost importance for the WHO and ILO to examine its properties comprehensibly and in depth. The studies (see further) of the specific properties of this particular fibre have become an important competitive factor for numerous enterprises and their struggle for new markets. The fibre industries are primarily concerned about turning mineral fibres into something that business can utilise safely, especially in countries, which cannot afford other similar materials. It is important that these international institutions, approached in a politically neutral framework, give some specific and valid answers to some of the most vital challenges the world is faced with.
Indeed, industrial policy in general is confronted with new tasks: one of them being to ensure the diversity of industrial productions, and another to accentuate the emphasis of certain misrepresented, neglected and potentially promising products as an additional and reasonable solution to a variety of industrial problems and thus, to a new source of income. Industrial policy would find it to its advantage to examine all aspects of the chrysotile fiber to look for new solutions as the health, social and economic situation in the world has undergone important changes in the past few years.
In this race for recognition the ‘aura’, or reputation of a product becomes a decisive factor for success, as, corollary, a misrepresentation, confusion or amalgamation with another product of the same generic appellation can lead to unjust condemnation.
The image a product has in the public view and the way in which its usefulness or harmlessness is perceived by it determines its attractiveness and market chances.
So the purpose of this document, is to urgently bring to the attention of the WHO and ILO the unquestionable facts which prove not only the harmlessness of the chrysotile variety of asbestos fibres when produced under specific conditions but also its vital economic benefits that allow it to play out all its potential in the world economy and especially in poor countries.
We thus urgently request the WHO and ILO to formally recognise the important distinction between amphiboles and chrysotiles in all matters concerning the use of asbestos fibres because they are chemically, geologically, and mineralogical different products.