The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany “Asbestos – who pays the bill? Testimonies and Dialogue on Policy Recommendations” Side-event at the 18th Session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD18), 06.04.2010, United Nations Headquarters, New York Dr. Markus Mattenklott BGIA - Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance Germany

Use of asbestos in Germany Interdiction of use of sprayed asbestos (1979) Chrysotile: 96 % Crocidolite: 3 % Amosite: 1% Total consumption 1948 – 1993: 6 million tons Ban of asbestos in Germany (1993) The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Development of legislation (main steps) Exposure limit values [F/cm3] chr amo cro Since 1960 Recommended values (concerning conimetric data) 1973 chr: 0,15 mg/m3 1976 2,0 --- 1979 New plants 1,0 1982 1985 0,5 1990 0,25 1995 Since 1940: Guidelines and recommendations by the German social accident insurance 1979: Prohibition of use of sprayed asbestos 1981 - 1993: Prohibition of marketing, fabrication, use of most asbestos products step by step 1993: General prohibition of mark., fabr. a. use of asbestos and asbestos containing products (with few special exceptions) 1995: Interdiction of asbestos exposure at workplaces (except for asbestos removal, controlled by special rules, exposure < 0,015 F/cm3) *) 2005: Ban of asbestos in the countries of the European Union by a binding guideline chr: chrysotile; cro: crocidolite; amo: amosite *) Technical Rule for Hazardous Substances „Asbestos: Demolition, reconstruction or maintenance work„ (TRGS 519). Available in english  www.baua.de, topic “Gefahrstoffe”, subtopic “TRGS” The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Substitution of asbestos - e.g. asbestos cement Asbestos-free fibre cement Asbestos cement “Eternit AG” in Germany: Substitution of asbestos in typical products (selection) and new asbestos-free products - Production of undulated panels without asbestos since December 1984 - improved breaking strength and impact-resistance Source: „Asbest und Gesundheit“, documentation of the Trade Union of fibre cement industries in Germany, 1994 The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Workplace exposure – acceptance of measures Asbestos exposure at workplaces (mean values) in different industries in Germany (FRG) 20 F/cm3 - Tools with low emissions were available - Use of these tools was prescribed  Reality: no consequent use, no general acceptance 0,5 F/cm3 Sources: BK-Report “Faserjahre 1/2007, German Social Accident Insurance – DGUV, 2007; „Asbestspätschäden“, report, Hessisches Social Ministry, 1986 The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Asbestos related diseases Liability and compensation in Germany Compensation of asbestos related occupational diseases is implemented by a workers compensation system (Workers compensation act of 1884) Workers compensation is executed by the German Statutory Accident Insurance (statutory basis: German Social Code, Vol. 7) Workers compensation gives „immunity“ to employers, with the exception of employers liability in case of intent Contributions to workers compensation are paid by employers Occupational diseases are implemented by legislative body and listed in the German Occupational Diseases Ordinance The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Asbestos related occup. diseases in Germany 1936: Severe asbestosis of the lung 1943: Severe asbestosis of the lung in combination with lung cancer 1976: asbestos induced mesothelioma of the pleura or peritoneum 1988: Lung cancer in combination with asbestosis or asbestos induced pleural disease 1993: Cumulative asbestos fibre exposure of at mini- mum 25x106 (Fibres/m3 x years) as third option to accept lung cancer as asbestos caused 1997: Lung cancer or cancer of the larynx (in combination with asbestosis or pleural disease or cumulative asbestos fibre exposure of at minimum 25x106 (Fibres/m3 x years)) 2009: Lung Cancer by syncarcinogenic effect of asbestos and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure (dose calculation) The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Asbestos related occup. diseases in Germany The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Asbestos related diseases - Further development and costs The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Asbestos related diseases - Cases and Costs Number of cases of asbestos related occupational diseases in Germany up to 2008: 60,000 in total (estimated): 120,000 *) (lung cancer + mesothelioma: 55,000) Costs for asbestos related occupational diseases in Germany in 2008 all costs: 540,000,000 US-$ costs for pensions: 452,000,000 US-$ (84 % of all costs) Costs for asbestos related occupational diseases in Germany 1987 - 2008 all costs: 5,840,000,000 US-$ costs for pensions: 4,840,000,000 US-$ (83 % of all costs) Estimated total costs for asbestos related occup. diseases in Germany *) all costs: 20,000,000,000 US-$ costs for pensions: 17,000,000,000 US-$ Source: German Social Accident Insurance - DGUV April 2010: 1 Euro = 1.33 USD *) Optimistic assumption, that the culmination of cases per year will be reached in 2010 The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Asbestos related diseases - Costs per Case Recipients of a pension in 2008: 25,958 Mean pension per reciepent in 2008: 17,400 US-$ Estimated mean duration of pension payment per case: 13 years Estimated total pension per case - asbestosis: 130,000 US-$ - lung cancer: 320,000 US-$ - mesothelioma: 320,000 US-$ April 2010: 1 Euro = 1.33 USD The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Further socio-economic impacts in Germany About 1500 workers dying per year due to former occupational asbestos contact Registration of workers with past (about 250,000) and current (abatement; about 70,000) asbestos contact,  follow up and preventive occupational health checks (about 230,000 per year) (data for 2008) Costs for asbestos abatement in public and private buildings Uncontrolled current exposure: Health risks as a result of inappropriate handling of still used asbestos products in residential homes and industrial applications The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Asbestos products used in Germany (e.g. 1975) Asbestos [t] Kind of asbestos Asbestos cement 140.000 95% chr, 4% cro, 1% amo Brake and clutch linings 9.000 chr Asbestos textiles 6.500 97% chr, 3% cro Floor covering (flex boards, vinyl floor tiles) 15.000 Gaskets 5.700 Filtration media 1.500 chr, rarely amo Moulding materials 2.000 Asphalt covering (mastic asphalt) 1.000 Spray-on asbestos coatings 500 cro, rarely chr Chemical products for building and others 10.000 chr, cro chr: chrysotile; cro: crocidolite; amo: amosite Source: G. Albracht, O.A. Schwerdtfeger (Ed.): Herausforderung Asbest, 432 p., Universum Verlagsgesellschaft, 1991 The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Substitution of asbestos in Germany (1) Field of application Product groups, substitution by asbestos free products until end of 1990 1991 1994 (current) Work protection heat protection clothing and gloves, different textile objects heat protect. cloth. against melts (temp. > 1000 °C) Fire protection fire protection panels and mats, spraying mixtures, insulation plaster, fire blankets, protective clothing, synthetic plastic materials, coatings/paints, mastics, putties, mortars, millboards, cords, mats, inorganic foams, seal bags, fire blankets and curtains, protection clothing for fire fighters Thermal insulating panels and mats, spraying mixtures, filling materials for cavities and interstices, shaped parts and moulding mixtures, textile products Electrical insulation insulation for cables/wires and household appliances, insulating materials, moulding materials electrical insulation of special-purpose-cables moulded thermo-setting materials for commutators Gaskets and seals flat and other formed gaskets, cylinder head gaskets, high temperature seals, compensators Flat/other formed gaskets for cars and industrial appl. Source: G. Albracht, O.A. Schwerdtfeger (Ed.): Herausforderung Asbest, 432 p., Universum Verlagsgesellschaft, 1991 The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Substitution of asbestos in Germany (2) Field of application Product groups, substitution by asbestos free products until end of 1990 1991 1994 (current) Filtration fine- and aseptic-filtration media for liquids, gas filtration (ventilation, dust removal), gasmask filters, diaphragms 2010: chrysotile containing diaphragms for chloralkali process Brake and clutch linings disc and drum brakes, clutch linings, brake blocks disc brakes for railway vehicles, brake linings for vehicles *) brake blocks for railway vehicles, clutch linings for vehicles *), brake linings for industrial applications Building materials asbestos cement (flat and undulated panels, roof slates, pipes/tubes, et al.) flat and undulated panels for building construction sector high pressure water pipes and sewer pipes Chemical products and others paints, putties, adhesives, sealing compounds, mastics, special products based on bitumen or tar, moulding material with resin matrix Current: use of chrysotile containing acetone gas cylinders (prod. before 1995) *) depending on substitution status Source: G. Albracht, O.A. Schwerdtfeger (Ed.): Herausforderung Asbest, 432 p., Universum Verlagsgesellschaft, 1991 The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Workplace exposure – acceptance of measures … a current problem Current campaign of the german social accident insurance (2007) Dust exposure in German building industry is too high! In 2005 about 10.000 cases of suspicion of occupational diseases caused by dust exposure were reported New campaign with industry to raise sensibility for the health hazards caused by dust Recommendations for the use of tools and operations with low emissions The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010

Risk assessment at workplaces by dust measurements Risk assessment at workplaces by dust measurements - General approach - UVT Measuring Services sampling carriers, analytical reports IFA Laboratories samples for analysis UVT Workplace Inspection IFA Scientific Support consultation binding instructions sampling measurement report UVT: Institutions for statutory accident insurance and prevention in Germany Information transfer - development of measurement methods - progress of technical safeguards - modification of rules and guidelines Industry Workplaces The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott 06.04.2010