Govt considering proposal to ban asbestos use completely, says Nik Nazmi

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — The government is reviewing a proposal to fully ban the use of asbestos, a material still widely used in the country despite concerns over its harmful health effects, according to Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

“We will assess how this issue is currently managed under existing legislation and policies. If there are gaps, we may need to improve them,” he told reporters after the launch of his book, Saving the Planet: Climate and Environmental Lessons from Malaysia and Beyond, here today.

Nik Nazmi said Department of Environment (JAS) is currently conducting a study on the use of industrial asbestos and its environmental and health impacts.

In July last year, the Penang Consumers Association (CAP) submitted a memorandum to the government urging a complete ban on all forms of asbestos, repeating a similar call it made in a memorandum submitted in May 2001.

Asbestos is a toxic substance that can cause lung cancer and its use has been banned in 69 countries including Finland, Italy, Germany, Australia, Japan and Thailand as of October 2022, according to the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS).

In 2006, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommended that all countries ban asbestos. — Bernama