STATUS OF ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

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STATUS OF ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

• GOOD HOPE CHAMBERS
• 28/01/2003
• DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM

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SCOPE OF THIS REPORT

• INTRODUCTION
• BACKGROUND
• WAYFORWARD
• CONCLUSION AND WAYFORWARD

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INTRODUCTION

• MINING OF ASBESTOS IN SOUTH AFRICA
• ASBESTOS MINING IN SOUTH AFRICA DATES BACK TO
  1839 IN THE NORTHERN CAPE
• SUBSEQUENTLY EXPANDED TO THE LIMPOPO AND
  MPUMALANGA PROVINCES.
• MINING INCLUDED ALL THREE TYPES OF COMMERCIAL
  ASBESTOS
• CHRYSOTILE (WHITE)
• CROSIDOLITE (BLUE)
• AMOSITE (BROWN)

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ILLUSTRATION OF THE SPREAD OF ASBESTOS MINES IN
SOUTH AFRICA

• (map of location of asbestos mines)

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INTRODUCTION

• SOUTH AFFRICA THIRD BIGGEST ASBESTOS PRODUCER IN
  THE WORLD WITH A PEAK OF ABOUT 380000 TONS IN
  1977 .
• MOST OF THIS ASBESTOS WAS EXPORTED.
• MOST OF THE MINING COMPANIES WERE FROM OVERSEAS
  AND HAD DISCONTINUED THEIR MINING OPERATIONS IN
  THEIR COUNTRIES BUT CONTINUED TO MINE IN SOUTH
  AFRICA (E.G. Cape PLC).

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INTRODUCTION

• ASBESTOS IS A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
• PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MINING AND USE
  RESULTED IN
• DEATH CASES
• DESEASES LIKE ASBESTOISIS
• SECONDARY POLLUTION EFFECTS
• MINE DUMPS THAT ACTS AS DEATH TRAPS
• AND HAS CAUSED DISEASES AND KILLED MANY SOUTH
  AFRICANS.
• OTHER PROBLEMS INCLUDE
• COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS
• USE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER AREAS.

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ASBESTOS SUMMIT

• National Parliamentary Inquiry on compensation
• Research towards phasing out of chrysotile (white
  asbestos)and replacing it with alternatives
• Ensure an enabling integrated legislative
  framework, including a ban on non-chrysotile
  asbestos
• DEAT coordinate implementation recommendations of
  Summit.
• DWAF to prepare disposal standards
• DME to rehabilitate mines
• DTI to develop a Socio economic impact of phasing
  out Asbestos

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Progress on Summit implementation

• Prepared Cab memos for cabinet endorsement
• Cabinet endorsed and added
• SANDF
• Public Works
• Asbestos is coordinated well and depts respond

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Progress on Summit implementation

• Disposal guideline prepared by DWAF
• Safety standards developed by Labour
• Single Compensation office established at Labour
• Rehabilitation of mines continues and is
  transparent
• Housing department phasing out asbestos use
  gradually
• Public Works no longer use Asbestos in
  construction
• Guideline on strategy to phase out Asbestos will
  be ready for cabinet and publication

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Recommendations for summit implementation

• Asbestos mining stopped in 2001
• SA importer and transit country
• Cape PLC out of court initiated
• Decline of use of Asbestos in SA
• SA imports and is a transit country
• SABS ECE R90 specifications for braking products
  to be asbestos Free and imports should be
  asbestos free by the end of 2003

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Process Foward

• SADC meeting(24/02/03)
• International Conference(02/03)
• Environmental Governance
• UNEP GC(Governing Council)
• Rotterdam Convention(Listed all forms of Asbestos
  as dangerous chemicals in international trade)