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Every year at least 100,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases

Asbestos and Asbestos-Related Diseases: International Sight Artur Buiuklianov, WHO CO presentation of Dr. Rokho Kim World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe Bonn, Germany. Annual deaths attributable to asbestos

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Every year at least 100,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases

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  1. Asbestos and Asbestos-Related Diseases: International SightArtur Buiuklianov, WHO CO presentation of Dr. Rokho KimWorld Health OrganizationRegional Office for EuropeBonn, Germany

  2. Annual deaths attributable to asbestos at least 107,000 from lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis due to occupational exposure Additionally at least several thousands deaths can be attributed to other asbestos-related cancers and to non-occupational exposure Asbestos is the single most important occupational carcinogen causing one third of all estimated deaths from occupational cancer Every year at least 100,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases

  3. Asbestos-related diseases • Lung cancer • Mesothelioma • Asbestosis • Pleural plaques, thickening and effusions • Laryngeal cancer • Ovarian cancer • Other cancers

  4. From asbestos exposure to asbestos-related diseases Exposures Latency period Modifying factors Diseases malignant and non-malignant Fibre type Fibre size Fibre dose Industrial process Concentration Length of exposure Type of exposure: Work, Home, Environment Lung cancer Mesothelioma Laryngeal cancer Ovarian cancer Other cancers Asbestosis Pleural plaques, thickening and effusions 10 to 40 years Tobacco smoke Genetic vulnerability

  5. EXPOSURE: Worldwide 125 million people are exposed to asbestos (mostly chrysotile)18 million in the WHO European Region Population exposed to asbestos by WHO region and mortality stratum (thousands)

  6. International basis for action • ILO standards • The Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 (No.139) • The Asbestos Convention, 1986 (No.162) • The Chemicals Convention, 1990 (No.170) • Multilateral environmental agreements • The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade • the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal • WHO recommendations • The 58th World Health Assembly • Global plan of action on workers' health 2008-2017 • The Parma Declaration, 2010

  7. IARC Monograph Working Group • In March, 2009, 27 scientists from eight countries met at the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to reassess the carcinogenicity of metals, arsenic, dusts, and fibres previously classified as “carcinogenic to humans” (Group 1) and to identify additional tumour sites and mechanisms of carcinogenesis • The results are reported in: www.thelancet.com/oncology 10 May 2009

  8. Conclusion of WHO-IARC • Epidemiological evidence has increasingly shown an association of all forms of asbestos (chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite) with an increased risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma. • Although the potency differences with respect to lung cancer or mesothelioma for fibres of various types and dimensions are debated, the fundamental conclusion is that all forms of asbestos are “carcinogenic to humans” (Group 1). • Mineral substances (eg, talc or vermiculite) that contain asbestos should also be regarded as “carcinogenic to humans”

  9. Summary of the conclusions from WHO assessments • All types of asbestos cause asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer • No safe threshold level of exposure has been identified • Safer substitutes exist • Exposure of workers and other users of asbestos containing products is extremely difficult to control • Asbestos abatement is very costly and hard be carried out in a completely safe way Working with asbestos-containing materials requires enormous measures for protection

  10. WHO position on elimination of asbestos-related diseases http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/asbestosrelateddisease/en/index.html Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

  11. WHO recommendations on prevention of cancer http://www.who.int/cancer/modules/Prevention%20Module.pdf

  12. Further information WHO 2006. Elimination of asbestos-related diseases http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/asbestosrelateddisease/en/index.html ILO & WHO, 2007 Outline for the development of national programmes for elimination of asbestos-related diseases http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/elimasbestos/en/index.html WHO 2007, Cancer Control: WHO Guide for Effective Programmes, Module Cancer Prevention http://www.who.int/cancer/modules/Prevention%20Module.pdf workershealth@who.int safework@ilo.org Thank you for your attention!

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