Lok Sabha Question No. 5165 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-04
Subject: Ban on the Use of Asbestos
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5165

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 04.04.2022

## Ban on the Use of Asbestos

## 5165.   SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU:

Will the  Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to prohibit the use of Asbestos in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  stop  granting  environmental  clearances  to asbestos-based factories across the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to ban the non-banned asbestos in the country and if so, whether they are banned in other countries; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  ruling  regarding  the  use  of  non-banned asbestos and if any, along with the stand of Union Government on this?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a)to(d) There is no proposal under the consideration of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to prohibit the use of asbestos in the country. The usage of asbestos in industries is subject to stipulation of environmental safeguards  which inter alia includes  use  of  personal  protective  equipment approved for asbestos workers involved in bag cutting & mixing areas, employing wet  processing  method  at  shop  floor  level  to  reduce  fibre  exposure  and  regular health check-up of employees.

The MOEFCC grants the Environmental Clearance (EC) to industries engaged in asbestos milling and asbestos based products under schedule 4(c) of the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 (EIA, 2006). The EC to such industries is granted as per the procedure laid down in the EIA, 2006 subject to environmental safeguards.

- (e) The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in its judgment in the matter of 'Consumer Education & Research Centre & Others Vs Union of India & Others - [1995 3 SCC 42]' and 'Kalyaneshwari Vs Union of India and Others (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 260 of 2004)' in 1995 and 2011 had duly considered adverse health impact and pollution caused by asbestos and passed directions for adoption of stricter health and  environmental  safeguards  in  line  with  global  standards.  Accordingly,the Government has taken following actions:
-  Prescription of the stringent emission standards for 'Asbestos based product manufacturing industries' and 'General Emission Standards-Part D' under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1998
-  Declaration  of  manufacture,  handling  and  processing  of  Asbestos  and  its products as hazardous process under Factories Act, 1948
-  Preparation  of  model  rules  under  Factories  Act,  1948 viz. Schedule  XIV  Handling and processing of Asbestos, manufacture of any article of Asbestos and any other process of manufacture or otherwise in which Asbestos is used in any form
-  Regulating  the permissible level of  Airborne  Asbestos  fibres  in  work environment to 20.1fiber/cubic centimetre
-  Ban on grant of fresh mining leases and renewal of existing mining leases

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