Mr
President, thank you for giving us the floor, I speak on behalf of WECF as a
member of the Rotterdam Convention Alliance.
(held by Alexandra Caterbow)
Distinguished delegates, the objective of
the Rotterdam Convention is to protect health and the environment.
Instead we are witnessing blocking of
chrysotile asbestos for the fifth time, to protect industry interests instead
of protecting health and environment. We see a very active industry here, but
we also recognize that this industry is a dying one. So many countries are
thinking about banning chrysotile asbestos now, since without listing, the
Rotterdam Convention does not allow them to access their right of prior
informed consent and to protect their borders.
The listing was not supported because there
is a problem of science, nor a problem of meeting the criteria of the
convention, but a problem of lack of political will.
We see that there are countries, that are quite
new parties to the convention, who are using their status to block the
convention - this is shameful. Some of the blocking countries committed at the
Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in Italy to eliminate all
asbestos related diseases and now they want to prevent other countries to
access their right on prior informed consent.
Those opposing the listing of chrysotile asbestos,
state that listing would cause extra costs. This argument is wrong, as it omits
the enormous health and economic costs caused by chrysotile asbestos, which is
already up in the hundreds of billions of dollars. While industry takes the
profits, the cost is put on the shoulders of the public taxpayer and the
hundreds of thousands sick victims.
We strongly urge Parties to continue
efforts towards listing of chrysotile asbestos, including inter-sessional work
and in cooperation with civil society.
I would like to invite you to our side
event in room 3 during lunch time today. And I would like to introduce you now
to Mr SHARAD VITTNAL SAWANT, a chrysotile asbestos victim from India. He came
here to speak to you all, because you are the ones who can make a huge difference
this week.
Thank you
Mr Sawant:
I am SHARAD VITTNAL SAWANT; I come from
Bombay, India, I have worked for 40 years at the factory Hindustan Ferodo (now
Hindustan Composits), which uses chrysotile asbestos. I am suffering from
asbestosis and my wife as well. Another 400 of my colleagues have been
diagnosed as well. I came here to request you to put chrysotile asbestos in the
PIC List of the Rotterdam Convention.
NGO colleagues are standing in solidarity behind Mr Sawant
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