Failure To Regulate Asbestos And Endosulfan
Posted on November 14, 2008
The ITUC has condemned the decision to exclude chrysotile asbestos and the pesticide endosulfan from the list of dangerous products under the Rotterdam Convention, the international agreement which regulates exports of hazardous chemicals.
“Industry lobbies and the profit motive have tragically prevailed over the safety of workers and consumers with the refusal to include these two highly dangerous substances from the coverage of this Convention” said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder, adding that “Governments must move urgently to correct this mistake, which leaves the health of many thousands of workers in mining, construction, agriculture and other sectors at grave risk”.
Endosulfan, a neurotoxin which is poisonous to the human nervous system and is also believed to affect reproduction, is used as a pesticide in production of cotton, food crops and animal feed. As one of the more toxic pesticides available, its dangers to agricultural workers in particular and to consumers in general, are well documented. Alternative chemicals exist for all of its uses, but endosulfan is often preferred by producers because it is cheaper.
ITUC
