There is a global consensus that exposure to all types of asbestos can kill. This view is supported by the International Labor Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Programme on Chemical Safety, the European Union, the Collegium Ramazzini, the International Social Security Association, the World Trade Organization, the International Commission on Occupational Health, the International Federation of Building and Woodworkers, the International Metalworkers’ Federation and the Governments of: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Uruguay and scores of independent scientists.
International Workers’ Memorial Day is a time to remember the dead and fight for the living. In that spirit, we hereby issue the following pledge:
“In the spirit of humanity and equality, we declare that each human being has the right to live and work in a healthy environment. It is not acceptable that a substance which is too harmful to be used in the European Union is used in Asia, Africa and Latin America; it is not acceptable for an industrialized country to dump asbestos-contaminated ships in a developing country. A global asbestos ban is the first step in the campaign to rid humanity of the threat it faces from asbestos. To end the asbestos scourge, we pledge our commitment to work together to achieve our goal. The struggle continues!”
Signed:
Fernanda Giannasi, Coordinator of the Latin American Virtual Network Against Asbestos, Founding Member of ABREA, the Brazilian Association of the Asbestos-Exposed, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Laurie Kazan-Allen, Coordinator of the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat and Editor of the British Asbestos Newsletter, London, England
Annie Thebaud-Mony. Ban Asbestos France, Paris, France
Kyla Sentes, Coordinator of Ban Asbestos Canada, Alberta, Canada
