We should never forget that injury-related matters are much worse in other parts of the world than they are in the United States. Car wrecks are a good example. Most countries don\u2019t have good roads, healthcare infrastructures, or court systems. Furthermore, many countries don\u2019t require drivers\u2019 licenses or don\u2019t strictly enforce these rules. So, the chances of being seriously hurt in a wreck are high, and the possibility of getting fair compensation is low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asbestos in India is another example. Most people are well-aware of asbestos\u2019 serious health risks. But the Indian Parliament hasn\u2019t passed a major anti-asbestos law since 1986<\/a>. Furthermore, this law wasn\u2019t much of a law. It only banned new asbestos mines and the expansion of existing mines. That\u2019s surprising, considering India\u2019s strong position on other issues, such as greenhouse gasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The general attitude toward asbestos in this country is even more disturbing. Most builders, and most people, see asbestos as a cheap and effective building material. It\u2019s also safe, according to many Indian lawmakers, if builders mix it into cement. Almost no asbestos exposure health statistics are available, probably because no one really wants to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the risk of getting on a soapbox, the truth is that many Western countries have exploited India for years with little regard for the health and safety of its people. The 1984 Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, which may have killed as many as 16,000 people, is a good example. Our asbestos claims lawyers<\/a> deal with this exploitation every day. Serious health and safety issues related to asbestos exposure were documented beginning in ancient times. However, builders kept using this material, mostly because it was cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n India is one of the most densely-populated and poorest countries in the world. So, there\u2019s always a market for cheap building materials, even if those materials are unsafe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Look behind the walls of pretty much any commercial or residential building in India, and you\u2019ll probably find chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos). Builders usually wrap this material, which resembles several layers of tissue paper, around pipes or other superheated items to reduce fire risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Builders and owners easily justify this use, at least in their own minds. The aforementioned population density issues make fire a huge concern. A single structure fire could wipe out an entire block. Additionally, as mentioned, asbestos is cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding asbestos to concrete also reduces building costs. Cement doesn\u2019t set well in coastal, tropical, or other humid areas. India is basically one big coastal, tropical area. Hydraulic cements, which cure this problem, are now available. But, it\u2019s cheaper to lace concrete with asbestos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Asbestos exports are also big business in India. These exports have increased 300 percent<\/a> since 2017. India\u2019s laws include protectionist measures, like low tariffs and favorable environmental laws, to keep the $2 billion industry afloat. These \u201cfavorable environmental laws\u201d include a refusal to list asbestos as a hazardous substance under the Rotterdam Convention. That designation reduces disposal costs and side steps regulations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ordinary people often pay the price. \u201cI feel weak, drained all the time,\u201d one Roro villager struggled to say. Then, between breaths, the 65-year-old gasped. \u201cBut I must work. I don\u2019t have a choice. I have to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mesothelioma and asbestosis are the two most serious asbestos exposure-related injuries in India and worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cancer fatality rate has declined significantly since 2000. However, the mesothelioma fatality rate hasn\u2019t changed much. These tumors form between the heart and lungs<\/a>, in the micro-thin meso lining. As a result, these tumors are largely immune to most traditional cancer treatments. For example, doctors cannot bombard these tumors with radiation. That causes too much collateral damage to some of the most vital organs in the human body. So, doctors cannot shrink these tumors, which means they cannot surgically remove them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The above-quoted Roro villager may have been suffering from asbestosis, a very serious lung disease. The lung\u2019s most crucial breathing passageways are no wider than a pencil\u2019s tip. Asbestos fibers burn these passageways, causing scar tissue buildup. So, these victims have trouble breathing, even when resting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Like mesothelioma, asbestosis is basically impossible to treat, especially if the condition is advanced. Also like mesothelioma, asbestosis has a decades-long incubation period. Many of these victims are sick for fifty years, or even more, before any symptoms appear<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan states are two of the largest provinces in India. They\u2019re also two of the most serious asbestos problem areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sprawling UP Asbestos Ltd., one of the world\u2019s largest asbestos companies, is in Uttar Pradesh. This company produces vast numbers of AC (asbestos cement) sheets. Some builders use these corrugated sheets as roofs. Other builders use them to construct entire structures. These sheets are also commonly used as room dividers. UP Asbestos also makes color profile sheets, a similar product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not too far away, the Rajasthan Asbestos Cement Co. is, according to its website, \u201cthe notable Manufacturer and Supplier of an AC Pressure Pipe, AC Coupler, HDPE Pipe, Cement Heater, and Cement Sheet.\u201d All these products contain high levels of asbestos, putting everyone who works at this company, or lives nearby, at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAsbestos and Colonialism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Asbestos Use in India<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Indian Exports of Asbestos Products Increased with Global Commerce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Asbestos Injuries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Asbestos is the leading occupational cause of lung cancer and leads to other health problems.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Occupational, Secondary, and Environmental Asbestos Exposure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Specific Problem Areas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Asbestos Abatement in India<\/h2>\n\n\n\n