Asbestos Use and India
In recent 
years, the annual consumption of asbestos in India has risen more than 30% making India one of the world’s top asbestos consumer. More tragically, there are reports of working conditions in Indian asbestos mills and factories where the permissible exposure levels were being exceeded many times over, putting many at risk of developing fatal asbestos related diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
Several studies conducted of workers in asbestos-related industries in India have shown a high incidence of asbestosis. One such study found 23 % of the exposed workers showing signs of asbestosis. Another disease caused by exposure to asbestos is mesothelioma, an incurable cancer of the lining of the lungs, heart or abdomen. However, the Indian National Cancer Register does not document cases of mesothelioma and the Indian Government does not record the incidence of occupational disease.
Despite calls for a ban on the use of asbestos by civil groups, human rights groups, and trade unions, their efforts have not made much progress in India. The burgeoning asbestos industry in India seems to have much influence over the policies India promotes regarding asbestos.
The Rotterdam Convention is an international treaty whose purpose is to regulate global trade in chemicals that have been banned or their use severely restricted due to their recognized danger to human health or the environment. Over one hundred and thirty nations are parties to the Convention. Repeated efforts to include as a toxic substance under the Rotterdam Convention have been blocked by India as well as other major asbestos-using countries such as Russia and Canada.
