"The acute shortage of decent shelter; pipe borne potable water; effective drainage and waste disposal systems and irrigation facilities for reasonable large scale farming in developing countries make the use of asbestos cement products a compelling choice for these nations."

DR. N.A.Okere, Medical consultant, Nigeria

Many developing nations are in the process of building and expanding their water distribution and sewerage networks. This process is critical to the health and basic quality of life of the citizens of these countries. The challenge imposed by the limited financial resources of many of these countries is in developing programs which have the greatest impact for the greatest number of people. In terms of water distribution irrigation and sewerage, a system which is less expensive and more durable means that limited financial resources can be used to provide services to other areas or be applied towards other important health programs.

A/C pipe is both more durable and less expensive than competitive products. As the previous analysis demonstrated, in almost all diameters of pressure pipe the total costs of A/C pipe are significantly lower. When the costs of maintenance, anti-corrosion protection, repair and replacement are factored in, A/C has a net advantage in all diameters. Consequently, using A/C pipe means that for the same financial outlay, services can be provided to a greater proportion of the population. Given that access to clean water can result in lower infant morality and adult morbidity, the choice of A/C pipe is that much more compelling. The control of food and water borne diseases such as cholera can only be achieved through better environmental sanitation, primarily by constructing safe drinking water and sewage disposal systems.

Efforts to substitute asbestos in cement pipe compounds with Man-Made Mineral Fibres (MMMF) or locally available non-mineral fibres such as coconut, sugar cane, cassava and pulp have not met with such success. Non-mineral fibres are unable to withstand the heat or pressure of the cement pipe manufacturing process, nor have they met the desired quality standards. Moreover, they are frequently not available in sustainable commercial quantities without serious negative effects on other sectors of the economy or the environment.

"Economic studies have shown that for every dollar of foreign exchange, up to four times more A/C pipe can be laid than PVC pipe."

In addition to serious technical drawbacks, the use of MMMF can increase production costs by more than 50%, all in foreign currency. There are also mounting concerns regarding the health risks of many of these fibres, some of which are categorized as Class II carcinogens. For the most part they require the same dust control measures and industrial hygiene practices as asbestos.

Another important benefit of A/C pipe in developing nations is that it creates local jobs. Unlike other pipe manufacturing operations, the construction of A/C pipes does not require large, highly trained labor force often imported from outside the country. Most positions can be filled by local residents with only basic job training. The spin-off can often give the regional economy a much needed boost. In addition, the equipment required for the manufacture of A/C pipe and the maintenance of proper dust control is very simple and often available locally, both new and used. There is no need to import and service complex machinery from abroad. This also benefits local economies and saves important foreign currency reserves.

In addition to the economic benefits of A/C pipe, numerous studies and case histories have shown that it is possible to use asbestos safely in both industrialized and developing nations. If properly controlled and used, chrysotile asbestos does not pose any significant risk to public or worker health. Over the last 20 years, the chrysotile asbestos mining and manufacturing industries have made great progress in industrial hygiene. In many developing countries such as Nigeria and India, dust levels have been brought to under 1 f/cc, some 50 times lower than the level now believed to result in chrysotile asbestos related cancers. (18)

Although it is true this is not the case in all countries nor in all plants, but with responsible action by governments, local enterprise, unions and the guidance of International Labor Organization (ILO), it is possible for developing nations to meet or surpass Western industrial hygiene standards. The continued controlled-use of asbestos fibres will enable developing nations to use their scarce resources to provide basic amenities to larger number of people.

Each year hundreds of thousands of people in developing countries die prematurely due to disease associated with contaminated water and inadequate sewage systems.

REFERENCE: (18) Liddell, McDonald & McDonald, Paper presented at the 9th International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health, Cincinnati, 1992