MORE ASBESTOS IN NEW ZEALAND.
(NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE AN ONGOING
PROBLEM IN CHRISTCHURCH.)
----------------
11th May
2011
------------------------------
I
wrote this letter to Tony Ryall not John Carter, as I was concerned about the long term health
of all the people who were in Christchurch at the time of the earthquake. At that time Tony Ryall was
the Minister of Health. The appropriate minister to deal with ongoing health problems that will show up
not immediately, but over the next 20-40 years,(give or take a few years). Obviously someone else does not
understand the English language or chooses to pass the buck once again.
I believe that at that time everyone involved should have been told to inform their doctors of their exposure
so that it would be included in their health records and that they would have had regular check-ups through ACC.
Remember many people who were down in Christchurch came from other districts and even other countries.
But I suppose that would have been too much work
In the letter John Carter says he is unable to comment on specific circumstances I referred to in my letter
Of course he can't. That was why this letter was sent to the Minister of Health, and should have been answered by him
The enforced stand-downs, proper rest, psychologists and paramedics was okay for the civil defence at that time.
but were absolutely useless as far as my questions went. And that was the long-term welfare of all those people
Still by the time these diseases rear their ugly heads, those in charge of this problem will be long dead
---------------------
On to More Problems
With Asbestos,
--------------------
Plasterboard will be used
to encase potentially deadly asbestos in more than 4000
earthquake-damaged Christchurch homes due for repair. Canterbury
District Health Board medical officer of health
Alistair Humphrey
says the Earthquake Commission (EQC) decision not to remove the
asbestos creates a "landmine". Christchurch-based Labour MP Ruth
Dyson, in a statement on Wednesday, said the asbestos looked set
to create a potentially fatal legacy, akin to the trail of events
which culminated in the huge loss of life with the CTV building
collapse.
Leaving asbestos in houses contravened EQC's own
guidelines, she said. It was also unfair that home owners could not decide to have the asbestos removed, and future owners could be
unaware of the asbestos.
"This is obviously about saving money,
but at what cost? It is risking lives. The practice must stop."
Ms Dyson said the matter needed an urgent response from the
government. But a spokesman for Duty Minister Anne Tolley said it was an operational matter for EQC, and
the minister would not comment. Dr Humphrey told The Press the
encasement practice is a serious health risk, and homeowners
selling their house could try to hide the presence of the now
discredited building material. "We have an opportunity to make sure
houses are safe.
They should just take it all out. "It is a
landmine sitting there which we won't know about."Prolonged, chronic
exposure to disturbed asbestos can cause various lung diseases,
including cancer, but can take decades to develop. But EQC home
repair programme manager
Reid Stiven said encasing followed health
guidelines. Asbestos
ceilings were encased only when they were not damaged or
deteriorating, he said.
"Enclosing is a reliable method for
ensuring asbestos is safely contained," he told The Press.
------------------------------
updated version.
Charley Gates.
Asbestos in
the ceilings of more than 4000 earthquake-damaged homes will be
left encased behind plasterboard a situation Canterbury's
leading medical adviser says is a health "landmine".
The Earthquake
Commission (EQC) estimates 43,000 Christchurch homes due for quake
repairs
could contain asbestos. In about 10 per cent of cases,
asbestos in ceilings has been "encased"
behind plasterboard instead
of being removed. Homeowners will be told if this is done in their
homes, but there are concerns encasement may encourage them to
hide the information.
Canterbury District Health Board medical
officer of health Alistair Humphrey says the practice is a serious
health risk. "I personally feel encasement is not a good thing to
do under any circumstances," he said. "It disguises the fact that it
is there. We have an opportunity to make sure houses are safe.
They should just take it all out. It is a landmine sitting there
which we won't know about."
------------------------------
No
Need To Tell of Asbestos
(Marc Greenhill and Charlie Gates.
10/01/2013
Christchurch homes with asbestos concealed by
earthquake repairs could be sold without the buyer being aware the
hazardous substance is present. The Earthquake Commission (EQC)
estimates 43,000 Christchurch homes due for quake repairs could
contain asbestos.
In about 10 per cent of cases, asbestos in
ceilings will be "encased" behind plasterboard instead of being
removed during quake repairs. Homeowners are not obliged to inform
potential buyers about the presence of asbestos in their property.
Canterbury District Health Board
medical officer of health
Alistair Humphrey and Christchurch homeowners have called for
asbestos finds to be recorded on council land reports. Humphrey
said a public register should be kept. "If someone's just fixed a
ceiling where there's been some damage to the asbestos tiles and
[contractors] have covered it over, that I believe should go on the
LIM (land informational memorandum), but in practice that doesn't
happen and it's not likely to happen. It was unlikely homeowners
would want to disclose the fact because they "might perceive it
would devalue their homes", he said.
------------------------------
EQC
spokesman Iain Butler said the commission advised homeowners and
contractors working with asbestos, but was not required to notify
other authorities. A record of properties containing asbestos was
kept for internal reporting purposes. " We would be able to,
theoretically, get that information, but to my knowledge we've had
no requests to do that," he said.
A St Martins homeowner, who
did want to be named, had asbestos contained in her ceiling
during
quake repairs about six months ago. The buyers of similar homes
should be notified, she said. "It gives people the choice,
whether they think they're bothered or not." A Richmond homeowner
whose ceiling had tested positive for asbestos said it would be
"selfish and irresponsible to hide the fact when selling the house.
If it's there, I think it's fair that people know about it.
That's just wrong and passing your problem on to someone else," she
said. This is a real health hazard. This is our house, we own
it and it's our responsibility."Harcourts South Island provincial manager, Jim Davis, said real
estate agents had to inform potential buyers of asbestos,
but
homeowners did not. We are obliged to tell purchasers when there
are aspects of the house
that would be relevant to them and could
be a concern. Asbestos fits into that category. When we know there
is asbestos then, in my opinion, that should be disclosed to a
potential purchaser," he said Christchurch City Council customer
and support manager Tracey Weston said home owners were not
obliged to put asbestos on their LIM. "It is not a legislative
requirement for council to proactively seek out this information,
"she said. "However, asbestos would be included
on a LIM at the
owner's request if they had documentation as proof", Weston said.
------------------------------
Jan 11th 2013
EQC's come
out defending its operations around earthquake-damaged homes
containing asbestos. It's copped criticism for encasing the toxic
substance behind plasterboard, rather than removing it with
some saying it could have fatal consequences to people's health.
EQC's Reid Stiven says they're following policy and processes to a
tee. He says everything they've done is in line with the
Department of Labour and District Health Board. Reid Stiven says
if the removal of asbestos in an earthquake-damaged home is
appropriate, it is removed. He's confident that of the 30,000
repairs EQC's completed, they've encountered a very low number
involving asbestos.
-----------------------------
Asbestos was once used in construction and can be dangerous if it is
disturbed. Health experts say it is most harmful if a person is exposed to high levels of the material for a long period.
Prolonged, chronic exposure can cause various lung diseases, including cancer, but can take decades to develop. Humphrey said the encasement
policy would leave "a very unfortunate legacy" for Christchurch, and he has told the EQC of his concerns. In the future, no-one will know asbestos is
there. It is covered over. "At the moment, you can look and see straight away it is there," he said. "Ten years down the track, someone could decide to put down lights in a room.
They drill into [the asbestos] and put themselves at risk. You could have a little baby crawling around on a carpet for six months with asbestos in
it. [Adverse health effects] would emerge only when they were in their 20s, and they will not know the
source. It is a very unfortunate legacy."
------------------------------
EQC home
repair programme manager Reid Stiven defended the policy. " Asbestos ceilings were encased only when they were not damaged or deteriorating, Stiven said, and homeowners were informed
if asbestos was found in a property and if it would be encased. EQC always tests for the presence of asbestos where it is
suspected," he said. Humphrey said landlords would be
reluctant
to put asbestos on the official information record for their
home, known as a land information memorandum
(LIM). If you have a severely damaged house, that has asbestos in the ceiling and they encase that, do you think landlords will put that on the LIM? If they do,
it devalues their house. Nobody will put asbestos on the
LIM," he said. Stiven said the encasement policy
followed health guidelines.
------------------------------
"Enclosing is
a reliable method for ensuring asbestos is safely
contained," he said. "We are following the relevant
national guidelines and the recommended practice of Canterbury Public Health. Asbestos is only a health risk where it is damaged or deteriorating, and in those cases it is removed. All of our EQC field staff and Fletcher EQR supervisors have been given training in the correct identification of
asbestos. If they suspect asbestos is present, then a sample is taken and sent
to testing. This is completed by an independent
specialist. "The working group that developed the EQC asbestos policy was chaired by an
independent health and safety consultant," he said.
------------------------------
http://www.ci.bloomington.mn.us
Where was asbestos
used in older homes?
The main areas of the house where asbestos was used were in basements, attics or roofs.
As an acoustical or heat
insulator, asbestos was often placed in, around or between steel beams,
water and sewer pipes, ducts, high temperature gaskets, stovepipe rings, electrical
wiring, vinyl and linoleum sheet flooring, floor backing, shingles, panels, partitions and acoustic tiles.
It was also placed in the areas
of heaters, boilers, furnaces, incinerators, artificial fireplaces and
barbecues. These are the areas a homeowner is most likely to visually see
the soft, fluffy asbestos that's white or gray. (Asbestos that was mixed into
cement, siding, wall coverings, plaster, stucco, spackling, putty, caulking, vermiculite, and joint compounds is obviously not visible.)
------------------------------
Myth #1:
The number of mesothelioma cases is
declining now that asbestos use is regulated.
While many
uses for asbestos were banned in the mid-1970's, the risk from exposure continues
to this day because of mesothelioma's long latency and incubation periods. Symptoms, most commonly affecting the
lungs, can sometimes take between 10-70 years
to appear making diagnosis of the disease
difficult. According to Carbone, over 20 million people in the
United States are at risk of developing malignant
mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure.
Although prior to the 1950's, mesothelioma was rare, as noted by Carbone, mesothelioma is now responsible for approximately 3,000 deaths per year in the U.S. Carbone further estimates that
mortality rates from mesothelioma will increase by 5-10% per year in most industrialized countries until about 2020. First responders to the World
Trade Center terrorist attacks are now at risk of
developing mesothelioma. Asbestos was used to insulate the lower half of the first World Trade Center tower, and some studies report over 400 tons of asbestos dust was released into the air
upon the collapse of the
buildings. A pattern has emerged of negative health effects among fire
fighters who responded to the 9/11 tragedy. That pattern persuaded a medical advisory panel in 2012 to recommend adding mesothelioma to the list of cancers and
diseases for which fire fighters and first
responders should receive compensation and treatment.
------------------------------
Myth #2:
Only men over 65-years-old are diagnosed with mesothelioma. While it is
true that nearly 80 percent of the mesothelioma cases are diagnosed in men, typically in their late 60's to
70's,
younger men and women are also susceptible to developing the
disease. Men tend to develop the cancer more often than women due to the greater presence of men in the kinds of heavy industrial
jobs such as ship building, mining and automotive repair where asbestos was prevalent.
However, the men who worked
around asbestos, and brought the fibers home on their
clothing,
shoes and in their hair, may have inadvertently exposed their children and spouses to the deadly toxin leading to second-hand exposure. Inhalation of the toxic asbestos
fibers through second-hand exposure can lead to mesothelioma. In fact, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
has reported that there is
no safe level of asbestos
exposure. According to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, women tend to develop
mesothelioma
at an earlier age than men, but they live longer with the
disease after surgery.
----------------------
My Thoughts on
this subject
10.01.2013, updated report, The Press.
--------------
Christchurch homes with asbestos, concealed by
earthquake repairs could be sold without the buyer being aware
the hazardous substance is present. Ms Dyson said the matter needed an
urgent response from the Government. But a spokesman for Duty
Minister Anne Tolley said it was an operational matter for EQC,
and the minister would not
comment. (EQC is a Government
and Crown Entity) Once again, "passing the buck". Sliding the problem onto the EQC. This seems to be typical. If it's too hard a problem to
deal with give it to someone else. Well that is not how this works. The government is the only one who can change the rules and say "no" to encasement.
------------------------------
I believe my
father died from asbestosis, my sister from ovarian cancer, (asbestos in talcum powder) my husband from mesothelioma and now a brother has been
diagnosed with asbestosis.
And this government is allowing
asbestos, containing products to come into NZ from countries that have no regulations over asbestos. Countries that don't give a damn about the health of their own
people. Countries, that allow manufacturers to make a profit regardless of who dies because of
it. So many products that even the ex minister of the environment (Nick smith) could not list what they are. Could not, even see a problem
with this
------------------------------
On the 30th July
2013, I sent a copy of this letter to every MP in NZ plus the
mayor and each of the councillors in Christchurch and to some
newspapers hoping that someone will do something about it.
-----------------------------
An Open Letter to Christchurch and
New Zealand Authorities.
by Deidre van Gerven.
Lord knows we
have waited long enough for the rebuilding of Christchurch. In
the eighteen months since the earthquake devastated sections of
Christchurch, lives have remained on hold and businesses have
remained in a state of suspended animation. Frustration levels
are high amongst citizens and business leaders; a recent survey
found that 56% of chief executives felt insufficient progress was
being made. So, it is with some sense of relief that we welcomed
the news of a major international deal to rebuild Christchurch. As
with most things, however,
the devil is in the detail.
The
firm which has signed a memorandum of understanding with New
Zealand's Arrow China State Construction
Engineering Corporation. There is no doubt that the Chinese
conglomerate is a world player; it was ranked the world's biggest
contractor in 2012. Arrow has publicly stated that the deal will
provide "access to a highly cost-effective supply chain," which
will help reduce inflated prices for building materials. Arrow
personnel will collaborate with Chinese colleagues with a view to
sourcing some building products in China. China is the world's
biggest user of
raw chrysotile asbestos and the second most
important source of asbestos fiber. In 2012, China consumed 530,834
tonnes/t and produced 420,000t of asbestos; in 2011, these
figures were
637,735t and 440,000t. The use of chrysotile
asbestos in China is legal and the export by China
of
asbestos-containing products to countries where asbestos has been
banned has been documented.
This government is quite happy to
allow products containing asbestos to be bought into New Zealand.
In a letter received by me in October 2009. Office of Hon. Dr. Nick
Smith. Minister for the Environment "There is no comprehensive
list of the products that contain asbestos that may currently be
imported into New Zealand. However, I can advise that the
types of products that may contain asbestos are cement sheets,
friction materials and articles such as clutch pads and gaskets.
The situation with asbestos-containing products is different. No
HSNO approval from ERMA is required"
Also in a letter received by
me in February 2013, from Amy Adams, the Associate Minister for
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, wrote: New Zealand does not monitor the importation of asbestos products. As New Zealand's monitoring
of imports is woefully inadequate, there are grounds for concern
regarding the potential for the import of asbestos-contaminated
building
products from China. What guarantees are there by
Arrow International for the China State Construction Engineering
Corporation that all work undertaken in Christchurch will be
carried out with asbestos-free materials. I feel that we have a
right to know. July 30,
------------------------------
Reid Stevens may be following health guidelines but surely even
he can see the ongoing problems that will happen if this encasement
is allowed to continue. Guidelines are put in place to
cover most
things but something will eventually crop up that is not really
covered specifically.
Then surely in his position he has the power
to use his own discretion when making a decision.
Or is he just a
'puppet' also. And remember it is not just the ceilings of houses
that were built at that time that have asbestos in them.
Corrugated asbestos roofs Wall claddings (external and internal) insulation and acoustic products. Asbestos mixed with a
binder and sprayed round boilers, pipes that are used for water
supply and sewage piping, ducts .Electrical switchboards,
Vinyl or asphalt flooring is particularly likely to contain
asbestos How carefully were these handled at that time or is this
what was in the truck load after truck load that travelled through
suburbs (uncovered) in the middle of the night on the way to the
dump.
New Zealand is made up of our very own handy man or
woman" who renovate their homes and have done so probably as far
back as the first settlers
because they needed to.
They drill into ceilings to
replace light fittings little knowing the dangers
that are lurking there.
Asbestos fibres so minute
that they can't see them
floating round in the air
or feel them when they breath
them down into their lungs.
Or as they swallow the dust
which sends fibres to their
abdomen. Fibres so minute that
220,000 fibres of asbestos
will easily be lost in 2-3
grains of rice or 5-6 human hairs. Harcourts South Island provincial manager, Jim Davis, said real
estate agents had to inform potential buyers of asbestos, but
homeowners did not. We are obliged to tell purchasers when there
are aspects of the house that would be relevant to them and could
be a concern. Asbestos fits into that category. When we know there
is asbestos then, in my opinion, that should be disclosed to a
potential purchaser," he said Christchurch City Council customer
and support manager Tracey Weston said home owners were not
obliged to put asbestos on their LIM.
"It is not a legislative
requirement for council to proactively seek out this information,
"she said.
"However, asbestos would be included if they had documentation as proof", Weston said.
------------------------------
And you don't
know about it because nobody has to tell you and it does not need to go in the LIM. And just remember that by the
time you find out that you have an asbestos related disease
that is going to kill you those people who should have done their best to inform
you will most likely be dead and not answerable to their crime. Because in my eyes that's what it is. A crime.
And now when there is a chance to
prevent one of the means of asbestos exposure the EQC thinks it's okay to hide it behind plasterboard. IT IS NOT OKAY.
Let them know
it's not okay. Thousands of people were exposed to the airborne toxins after the attack on the World Trade Center, including those who survived the
collapse, first responders, those who lived near the towers, and even the workers who were hired to help clean up the rubble left behind. Additionally,
as the debris and damaged buildings found at ground zero burned for several months after the attacks, thousands of heavy metals and carcinogens such as
barium, mercury and asbestos, were released into the atmosphere Countless people exposed to the pollution are suffering from symptoms of respiratory
illnesses today, years after the attacks, like difficulty breathing, coughing, asthma, and even lung cancer and mesothelioma. As the years pass, it has become obvious that more and more of our
citizens have been infected with cancer and respiratory disease. While still considered to be rare instances of mesothelioma have undoubtedly increased in number. Asbestos is deemed safe if intact.
But builders and home renovators are still vulnerable to exposure if they unknowingly disturb old housing materials with asbestos in them.
Mr Cosman's
report also found low awareness of asbestos in the construction industry The older workers tended to think asbestos was yesterday's problem, that it had all been sorted in the 80's,and younger workers,
of which there were an increasingly number in the industry, know nothing about it.
The Department of Labour said it was carrying out a wider review of asbestos handling in the workplace,
which might include a ban imported asbestos products. Asbestos fibres are harmful because they are extremely small and sharp. Ordinary sized dust is caught and expelled by the body's defences before
it can be breathed in to the lungs or swallowed into the stomach, but asbestos slips through. That's why it's the lungs and chest that suffer most, and sometimes the stomach.
Once inside, they begin to damage the tissues. There is no known safe level of exposure to any type of asbestos. I believe that with mesothelioma the exposure to asbestos does not have to be huge
One person I know whose father worked with asbestos but was told to wear a mask. He was not told about his overalls and his wife would shake them out and wash them in the basement
of their house while her six children played on the floor. She died from mesothelioma and four of her six children developed an asbestos related disease. Two of whom died from mesothelioma
in their forties. So nobody can tell me that some exposure might be safe. The only safe exposure to asbestos is absolutely no exposure", whatsoever.
------------------------------
The following letter is from the
Hon, Bill Shorten, Australia.
-----------------
OFFICE OF THE HON BILL SHORTEN MP
MINISTER FOR EDUCATION
MINISTER FOR WORKPLACE RELATIONS
Our Ref MC13-003990
3rd August 2013
Ms Deidre vanGerven
deidre.vanqerven@xtra.co.nz
Dear Ms vanGerven
Thank you for your email of 21 April 2013 to the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations,
concerning the New Zealand Government's lack of action in banning the import and export of asbestos containing materials. The Minister has asked me to reply on his behalf.
I am sorry to learn of the significant impact asbestos has had on you and your family.
You should be commended for supporting those with asbestos-related diseases and your work
to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos. In your email, you provide details of an incident involving the importation of asbestos containing materials in a range of equipment and components destined for Australia's
resource exploration and development industry. While originating from Asia and former Soviet bloc countries, the asbestos containing materials were imported into Australia in 2010,via other countries, including New
Zealand. In response to this incident, the Australian Government instigated an industry outreach program and worked closely with venture companies to prevent these prohibited goods from
being imported into Australia in the first instance. This includes encouraging importers at risk of importing goods containing asbestos to seek independent certification from a laboratory
accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities that their goods are asbestos-free. Further, a working group has been formed by the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities to examine
compliance and enforcement approaches in respect of imported materials that contain asbestos, to further strengthen Australia's asbestos controls.
You may also be interested to know that the Australian Government established the Asbestos Management Review (the Review) in 2010. In response to the Review, the Government is committed to
developing a plan of action for asbestos eradication, handling and awareness across Australia that aims to eliminate exposure. Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Telephone (02) 6277 7350 Fax (02)
6273 4134 One of the Review's recommendations was that the Australian Government continue to play a leadership role in a global campaign aimed at securing a total worldwide ban in the production and trade
of asbestos and asbestos-containing products so as to contribute towards the worldwide elimination of asbestos-related diseases, and to more effectively control the entry of asbestos-containing
materials into Australia. This recommendation has been accepted by the Government. More information about the Government's actions can be found at
http://deewr.qov.au/office-asbestos-safety.strong
I trust that this information is helpful and thank you for bringing your concerns to the Minister's attention. Regards Ms Simone Stevenson Adviser
November
2013 Amy Adams decided To have an investigation into the products
containing asbestos.
This is following on from Asbestos in New
Zealand pages.
So the following letters are some I received over that
time in answer to my query as to how this investigation was shaping up.
As you will see the investigation did take place but before I received
any answer from Amy we had an election and I was told I would have to
wait to find out who would be handling this problem from there on.
Well what do you know. The problem went back to Nick Smith.
If you
remember he was the first one involved in this beginning back in 2009.
So now I'm back at the beginning again with someone who didn't do
anything then and probably won't do anything now.
But we shall see
What shocked
me as far as this last letter from Nick Smith goes is the fact we are
not just importing these products but are also exporting them.
How can we be doing this if we do not manufacture
such goods.
Does this
mean we are bringing them into New Zealand and then sending them off to
other countries.
To make
that worthwhile they would have to be buying them cheap and putting a
higher price on to the cost.
If this is so then it is disgusting.
Do the countries we are
sending them onto know they are receiving products that contain
asbestos.
We can't even
trust the products that we do receive that say they are asbestos free.
Five years I have been asking them to ban all
these products from entering New Zealand, and now I find we are sending
them on to other countries.
It is not Okay. What is New Zealand coming to.?
Making a profit on a
product that is known to kill people. On
Saturday the 29th November I sent this reply back to Nick Smith.
Dear Nick,
In reply to your letter above I will await
with bated breath to see this report listed on your web site in the
near future.
I would like to think the near future means before you
all take off for your Christmas break,
so I shall "pop in"
periodically to see if you surprise me with an early Christmas gift. I
mean lets face it.
Amy Adams first spoke of having an investigation
started in November 2013
because there appeared to be a problem with
her being able to put in place
a complete ban of all products
containing asbestos.
So while I’m waiting for this report to show up
I shall go back to the problem of the “ban” on all of these
products
from entering or leaving NZ that I first put to you in 2009.
22nd OCT 2009
Office of Hon.
Dr. Nick Smith.
MP for Nelson
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Climate Change Issues
Minister for ACC.
Dear Deidre vanGerven,
Thank you for your email
of 1st August 2009 to the Prime Minister regarding health risks from
asbestos.
I am responding on behalf of the Prime Minister as the
issues you raise touch on a number of Ministers' portfolios.
I am
sorry to hear of your distressing first hand experiences and I agree
with you that managing the potential effects of asbestos is important.
I can assure you that both the mining of asbestos in New Zealand and the
import of any form of raw asbestos fibre into New Zealand has, for all
practical purposes, been prohibited.
New Zealand factories stopped
making building products containing asbestos back in the 1980s.
The
focus now is ensuring the appropriate management and handling of
historic
asbestos products that are still in use
or have been disposed of.
This is mainly achieved through the
Department of Labour (which manages asbestos in places of work) and
through local authorities, who manage landfills and other sites where
asbestos has been disposed of.
I knew about and
was not part of my original mail so you can ignore that
Further, although some products containing asbestos are still
able to be imported.
Suppliers of products containing asbestos must
ensure that the products are labelled as such,
so that adequate
precautions may be taken.
We know this is not working as products
are still entering NZ labelled asbestos free and on testing are found
to contain asbestos
As the use of asbestos-containing products
is decreasing internationally, the government does not consider
that further regulations of imports is required at this stage.
Also not quite true and in my opinion a real "cop out"
There are many
more countries coming in line with the complete banning of asbestos
in any form or manner but not the big manufacturers and producers of
all forms of asbestos. So please do not use this as an excuse for
"sitting on your hands and doing nothing" That is not good enough for
the people of NZ .
The Department of Labour is the department
that manages the potential risks from asbestos,
through the Health
and Safety in Employment (Asbestos) Regulations 1998.
and
the Guidelines for the Management and Removal of Asbestos. I suggest you
contact them directly
If you take a look at those regulations and the new ones that are soon
to be in force you will see that neither the home renovator or the
products containing asbestos are part of that equation.
Even in the
draft document on asbestos these two things are not covered by these
regulations.
So you do need to do something about it.
---------------
On To Asbestos Related Diseases