Asbestos Report AustraliaAsbestos Report Australia

Phillip HazeltonPhillip Hazelton– Mekong Regional Mekong Regional

Representative Union Aid Representative Union Aid Abroad – APHEDAAbroad – APHEDA

Margot Hoyte OHS ACTUMargot Hoyte OHS ACTU

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDAUnion Aid Abroad-APHEDA

The Humanitarian Aid Agency of the The Humanitarian Aid Agency of the Australian Council of Trade UnionsAustralian Council of Trade Unions

Founded in 1984Founded in 1984 15 countries15 countries Focus on health, education, skills Focus on health, education, skills

development, labour rightsdevelopment, labour rights

ACTUACTU

Australian Council of Trade Unions Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)(ACTU)

National peak body of trade unions in National peak body of trade unions in Australia, industry based trade Australia, industry based trade unions affiliate to one national centreunions affiliate to one national centre

Approx. 2 million membersApprox. 2 million members

Australia- Asbestos LegacyAustralia- Asbestos Legacy

Australia was one of the world’s highest Australia was one of the world’s highest per capita miners, manufacturers and per capita miners, manufacturers and users of asbestosusers of asbestos

Pre 1990 Almost all public buildings and at Pre 1990 Almost all public buildings and at least one third of all private houses were least one third of all private houses were contaminated by asbestoscontaminated by asbestos

Mining included blue and white asbestos Mining included blue and white asbestos from 1940s to 1980sfrom 1940s to 1980s

Banned after long campaign in 2003Banned after long campaign in 2003

The Human CostThe Human Cost Asbestos disease in Australia is not Asbestos disease in Australia is not

expected to peak until 2020.expected to peak until 2020. Established Mesothelioma Register funded Established Mesothelioma Register funded

by government (voluntary)by government (voluntary) Currently over 600 new cases of Currently over 600 new cases of

mesothelioma annually being reportedmesothelioma annually being reported The National Health & Medical Research The National Health & Medical Research

Council estimates By 2020, Australia will Council estimates By 2020, Australia will have hadhave had– 13,000 cases of mesothelioma13,000 cases of mesothelioma– 40,000 cases of asbestos related cancer40,000 cases of asbestos related cancer

The Human CostThe Human Cost

4 waves of victims4 waves of victims– Asbestos miners Asbestos miners – ManufacturersManufacturers– Families of the aboveFamilies of the above– Home renovators (now increasing and Home renovators (now increasing and

more women being diagnosed)more women being diagnosed)

The economic costThe economic cost Costs of compensation Costs of compensation

for just one company, for just one company, James Hardie Limited James Hardie Limited up to $4 billionup to $4 billion

Severe pressure on Severe pressure on public health systems public health systems requiring new and requiring new and expensive specialist expensive specialist health centreshealth centres

Now push to eliminate Now push to eliminate asbestos from all asbestos from all public buildings by public buildings by 20302030

Recent Government Review on Recent Government Review on Asbestos ManagementAsbestos Management

Completed 2012 with 12 Completed 2012 with 12 recommendationsrecommendations

Supports removal of all asbestos in Supports removal of all asbestos in built environmentbuilt environment

Asbestos Management Plan 2013-Asbestos Management Plan 2013-2018 released July this year 2018 released July this year

Established Asbestos Safety and Established Asbestos Safety and Eradication AgencyEradication Agency

Asbestos Eradication AgencyAsbestos Eradication Agency

Council includes victim groups and Council includes victim groups and unionsunions

Aim is to eradicate exposureAim is to eradicate exposure 6 strategies including Awareness, 6 strategies including Awareness,

best practice handling, identification, best practice handling, identification, removal, research and international removal, research and international leadership in a global ban campaignleadership in a global ban campaign

Australian Trade Union Australian Trade Union Asbestos Update Asbestos Update

– Support through APHEDA to Support through APHEDA to Asbestos Hazard Awareness Asbestos Hazard Awareness Campaign in Vietnam and Campaign in Vietnam and LaosLaos

– Partnering govt and trade Partnering govt and trade union union

– educate, advocate, educate, advocate, substitutes, research, Promote substitutes, research, Promote National profiles, National National profiles, National Elimination plansElimination plans

– Work closely with BWI, WHO, Work closely with BWI, WHO, ILO, A BanILO, A Ban

Australia Union Asbestos Australia Union Asbestos updateupdate

Working with Working with LFTU and LFTU and Ministry of Ministry of Industry in LaosIndustry in Laos

Laos will develop Laos will develop first Asbestos first Asbestos Profile by June Profile by June 20142014

Networking Internationally Networking Internationally ACTUACTU

Hosted Asia Asbestos Hosted Asia Asbestos Awareness Tour Nov 12 Awareness Tour Nov 12 (Anup/Inpeng/Larry)(Anup/Inpeng/Larry)

Hosted Sugio on Hosted Sugio on Australian tour Oct Australian tour Oct 20132013

National Asbestos National Asbestos Awareness Week last Awareness Week last week of November week of November each year each year

Current Workplace RegulationsCurrent Workplace Regulations

Many different state jurisdictionsMany different state jurisdictions

All have very strict regulations for All have very strict regulations for removal and identificationremoval and identification

Conservative govt in Qld weakening Conservative govt in Qld weakening somesome

Residential homes not coveredResidential homes not covered

Import and consumptionImport and consumption

Officially banned but vigilance does Officially banned but vigilance does still pick up some breaches via still pick up some breaches via customs or unionscustoms or unions

2012 – 25,000 Great Wall cars from 2012 – 25,000 Great Wall cars from China with asbestos break pads China with asbestos break pads discovereddiscovered

Of 7 million homes in Australia 2 Of 7 million homes in Australia 2 million contain some asbestos -built million contain some asbestos -built before 1990before 1990

Future Campaign IdeasFuture Campaign Ideas

ACTU/APHEDA seek regional program ACTU/APHEDA seek regional program support for ban asbestos from new support for ban asbestos from new Eradication AgencyEradication Agency

In Vietnam and Laos promote media In Vietnam and Laos promote media and awareness of general public to and awareness of general public to push for ban - try to alert local NGOpush for ban - try to alert local NGO

Promote Asia regional response with Promote Asia regional response with WHO targeting national governmentsWHO targeting national governments