The country of Russia is the world's most prolific producer of asbestos, so it comes as no surprise that the Russian delegates at a recent international forum on banning asbestos were against the proposal for banning one of their major exports. The first annual World Social Security Forum, held in Moscow, discussed the health risks associated with asbestos exposure. Several of the Russian delegates were especially vocal in their disdain for any proposed asbestos ban.
"It's just a PR campaign when they say that asbestos can kill," said Viktor Ivanov, head of the Chrysotile Association, an asbestos industry group.
Yevgeny Kovalevsky, a forum delegate from the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, added: "For the general population, there aren't significant risks - I haven't seen a single scientific study that shows the need for a ban."
However, it is well known that asbestos exposure is linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. While not all people who are exposed to asbestos go on to develop mesothelioma or other ailments, several thousand people die in the United States each year from mesothelioma, and many thousands more die from the cancer each year in other countries around the globe. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis.
Sadly, it has been reported that the Russian chrysotile asbestos industry is running a public information campaign that roughly translates as "A Big Lie of "Ban Asbestos". The campaign is attempting to sway public opinion about the dangers of asbestos, and it seems likely that the asbestos industry in Russia will continue to downplay the potentially life-threatening health effects of asbestos exposure.
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