If you have the requirement for an Asbestos survey, or Asbestos removal as result of the issues detailed within this article don’t hesitate to contact us using the details posted at the bottom of this blog.

Asbestos in South East Asia

Despite the best efforts of organizations such as the Asian Ban Asbestos Network (ABAN), Asbestos is only banned in a couple of the South East Asian countries. In this blog post we look at the Asbestos situation within each of the countries that make up this region.

Cambodia

Asbestos use is still legally permitted within the country, no government bans are in place and Asbestos is imported for use predominantly in the construction industry. A Cambodian National Asbestos Profile was created in 2019, and one of the shocking findings identified that over 50% of the buildings in the country contain Asbestos. Asbestos awareness in the construction industry is low, and the health effects of Asbestos exposure are not well known by workers.

Indonesia

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an ‘epidemic’ of diseases caused by Asbestos in Indonesia. For a country with the worlds 4th biggest population this is a serious concern. No prohibitions on Asbestos use are in place and Asbestos factories are present throughout the country - a total of 27 of them exist at the time of writing. Indonesia is the world’s second biggest importer (second only to India), and Asbestos cement roof sheeting is a very common material used throughout the populated areas of the country. Asbestos bans in the future are being halted by powerful industrial lobbyists (namely the Chrysotile Information Centre (CIC)), who are trying to expand the regional Asbestos market. Due to all the factors listed above, the death rate from Asbestos related disease in Indonesia is expected to skyrocket.

Laos

Although it is a country with a small population (7.5 million), it at one time (2019) had the highest per capita consumption of Asbestos in the world. A National Action Plan has been created by the government of Laos and a movement towards Asbestos elimination is gathering momentum. Campaigns like ‘Asbestos; Not Here. Not Anywhere’ aim to try and promote the dangers of the material and move towards an absolute prohibition. Laos is planning to ban the importation of Asbestos.

Malaysia

A partial ban on Asbestos is in place in Malaysia. Separate prohibitions in 1999 and 2005 came in to effect to ban the use of the material in government schools, hospitals and clinics, and all governmental buildings. Asbestos is still permitted in privately owned buildings. Legislation is in place to monitor workers exposure to Asbestos, particularly in factories.

Myanmar

Asbestos factories were once commonplace in Myanmar, and till this day the mineral is still imported into the country. Myanmar is lacking relevant laws and regulations to prevent Asbestos exposure.

Philippines

A National Asbestos Profile for the multi-island nation exists, and a partial ban on Asbestos is in place. Amphibole fibres (blue and brown Asbestos) have been banned since the year 2000, however Chrysotile (white Asbestos) is permitted for use in high density products such as cement.

Singapore

Use of all types of Asbestos have been banned in Singapore since 1989, however there remains a significant amount of the material in the buildings and many ships that pass through the country. Robust legislation is present to manage the risk for those who may potentially work with Asbestos. Asbestos surveys must be carried out by competent persons prior to building alterations or demolition. Asbestos removal must only be carried out by competent professionals. Singapore is perhaps the most advanced nation in Asia when it comes to Asbestos management.

Thailand

A recent Department of Pathology (Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University in Bangkok) found that a staggering 50% of the Thai population had Asbestos fibres in their lungs. Shockingly this included a two-year-old baby that had died from a congenital heart disease. The use of Asbestos in the country remains high and estimates put the figure at an estimated 60,000 to 180,000 metric tons of Asbestos annually – for the last 30 years! There are 17 Asbestos factories in the country with an estimated workforce of approximately 1700 employees. Additionally, it is estimated that there are 17 million houses with Asbestos cement roof sheeting as part of their construction.

Bangkok is also the home to the Chrysotile Information Centre (CIC), a powerful lobbyist group for the two largest exporters of Asbestos – Russia and Kazakhstan.

Vietnam

Vietnam is on the road to banning Asbestos – planned for 2023. Asbestos has been imported and used inside the country since the 1960’s, and like many other South East Asian countries – 90% of its use has been for Asbestos cement roof sheeting. Vietnam does have small deposits of Naturally Occurring Asbestos (mainly amphibole fibers) however the quality and quantity have proven to be non-viable from a commercial viewpoint.

If you have any Asbestos related concerns, contact us to see how Anthesis Consulting Middle East can help you:

Charles Faulkner (Head of Environment, Health and Safety and Asbestos Team Leader)

Phone: +971 (0) 50 5541 320
Email: asbestos@anthesisgroup.com