Dubai, September 30: A full ban needs to be introduced on asbestos products, experts say, after it emerged that the UAE imports more of the hazardous building material than any other Middle Eastern country.
Construction firms in the UAE still use asbestos in making underground water pipes, despite its use being severely curtailed elsewhere in the GCC and the rest of the world.
According to the latest figures from the US Geological Survey of Minerals, the UAE imported over 17,000 tonnes of asbestos in 2007 — the highest in the region.
“Those involved in making these pipes and those who are in charge of repairing them both face severe risks to their health,” said Charles Faulkner, consultant for WSP Environment and Energy Middle East.
“Everywhere else in the world and in the GCC, this substance is banned. It doesn’t make sense for the UAE to continue hanging on.” The Federal Government in 2006 implemented a ban on all asbestos panelling, but concrete-asbestos pipes were exempted. They are manufactured at several plants across the UAE and are still used widely in public sector projects. Faulkner said that the best way to protect blue-collar workers who handle these products is to implement a full ban. In addition, an awareness campaign needs to be launched to ensure that workers know precautions they must take to prevent asbestos poisoning. “Because the effects of asbestos poisoning are only noticeable after 20-30 years, there is a tendency for people to become complacent about safety standards,” he said. “However, asbestos poisoning is particularly nasty and can lead to a slow and painful death.” Under the Federal laws of 2006, an inspection needs to be carried out on a building prior to demolition to ensure that all asbestos has been removed.
In addition, companies must take steps to ensure that surrounding communities are not showered with dust from the demolition. Two firms have been shut down by municipal authorities in Sharjah for failing to maintain dust insulation fences.
Municipality officials, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Water, had inspected the sites following complaints from a large number of residents, some of whom, including children, were suffering from asthma, sinus and other breathing problems.
Around 70-90 per cent of houses in the UAE are built using asbestos building sheets, industry sources say. Despite the ban on using the sheets in construction, there is evidence to suggest that they are still being sold on the black market, said Ed Ferrero, senior manager at GTS Holdings in Dubai.
“We were involved in a major project in a cargo area of Port Rashid last year which required the removal of 600,000 tonnes of asbestos,” he said.
“During the project, we had everyday people approaching us asking if they could buy the asbestos sheets that we were removing. I was horrified.”
Hamdan Al Shaer, Head of the Environment Department at Dubai Municipality, said that he was not aware of anyone selling asbestos on the black market, but stressed that it was illegal. “Asbestos sheets are no longer allowed to be sold,” he told Khaleej Times in an interview in February.
–Agencies