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Subject: Re[2]: Re - Eco Friendly : Asbestos
Cement (0108)
Dear Mr Manglani:
Thank you for your email, and the reminder of
the cancer risks in different industries that I promised to send
to you.
I attach
here such a comparison, with an emphasis on inorganic
carcinogens, and on lung cancer, which from the point of view
of asbestos seem most relevant. No such table can be produced
on mesothelioma, since only fibres are known to induce this type
of cancer, and even for asbestos, relative risks are not usually
available. Please note carefully the qualification at the bottom
of the table: no quantitative estimates of carcinogenic potency
of any of these chemicals /factors can be made from the tables,
since the exposures are not known and are unlikely to be comparable.
As to your other question, a WHO assessment of
the safety/health effects of asbestos in asbestos cement, I am
not confident that such a task will be fitted to the priority
list of IPCS (as all asbestos use is becoming strictly limited
if not banned all over the world now). However, should you wish
to formally make such a proposal, I attach the form that would
be used when a chemical/agent is identified that would be assessed
in the IPCS risk assessment programme. The IPCS Risk Assessment
Steering Group will consider the proposed topics of assessment,
and advice IPCS on their mutual order of priority.
I hope this is of assistance to you, and thank you for your interest
in IPCS.
Yours sincerely,
Antero Aitio
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20
CH-1211 Genéve 27
Switzerland
tel + 41 22 791 3592
fax + 41 22 791 4848
email: aitioa@who.ch
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