1. 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),
, United Nations Headquarters, New York
Dr. Markus Mattenklott BGIA - Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
of the German Social Accident Insurance
Germany

2. 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

3. 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
: 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  topic “Gefahrstoffe”, subtopic “TRGS”
The socio-economic costs of asbestos in Germany M. Mattenklott

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

10. Asbestos related diseases - Cases and Costs
Number of cases of asbestos related occupational diseases in Germany
up to 2008: ,000
in total (estimated): 120,000 *) (lung cancer + mesothelioma: 55,000)
Costs for asbestos related occupational diseases in Germany in 2008
all costs: ,000,000 US-$
costs for pensions: ,000,000 US-$ (84 % of all costs)
Costs for asbestos related occupational diseases in Germany
all costs: ,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: ,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

11. 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: 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

12. 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

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

14. Asbestos products used in Germany (e.g. 1975)
Asbestos [t]
Kind of asbestos
Asbestos cement
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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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 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

18. 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