Asbestos is commonly used as an acoustic insulator and other building materials in thermal insulation and fire proofing for its tensile strength, good insulation, anti-corrosive and anti-flaming characteristics. When the asbestos materials are cut or demolished, the fibres will diffuse. The inhalation of asbestos fibres has been shown to pose a potentially fatal health risk. The fibres breathed into the lungs can cause a range of health problems including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. In order to promote the environmental sound management of asbestos waste, improve the disposal capacity of asbestos wastes, and raise the public awareness of asbestos waste in Asia and the Pacific, the project titled as “Pilot Project and Technical Training on Environmental Sound Management of Asbestos Waste” was funded by the government of Japan via Basel Convention Technical Trust Fund and implemented by Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for Asia and the Pacific (BCRC China) during April to December 2010.

Through a series of detailed activities, the following main 4 outcomes have been achieved:

1.         In accordance with the MOU of “Pilot Project and Technical Training on Environmental Sound Management of Asbestos Waste”, BCRC China should establish a pilot project. This pilot project is located in Shifang, Deyang city, Sichuan Province, and it is completed by BCRC China and Sichuan Zhongming Environmental Protection Co. Ltd. The work of this period mainly included investigation of the asbestos wastes status, analysis of technology insufficiency, determination of pilot project scheme and location. This pilot project showed the classification, demolition, collection, transportation, storage, and disposal of asbestos waste in post-earthquake debris.

2.         According to the operation of the pilot project, a brochure and a video were designed by BCRC China. The brochure included the types and uses of asbestos, the asbestos-related diseases, the protection for workers engaging the whole work, how to minimize the risks and disposal procedures, and in the workshop, it was distributed to the participants of the workshop. The video showed the entire operation of the pilot project, and also it was played on the workshop.

3.         The technical internship for two trainees, one from Nepal and the other Pakistan, have both submitted their reports. The internship started on 1^st November 2010, and ended on 1^st December 2010. One technical trainee is from Nepal with the name Lekha Nath Bagale, working as a post of Hydrologist Engineer at Ministry of Environment, Department of Hydrology & Meteorology; the other one is from Pakistan with the name Noor Ul Hadi, working as deputy project manager at Ministry of Environment. The work they did included reviewing and studying the international, regional and national experiences, technical guidelines of disaster debris and emergency management, reviewing and studying on international asbestos management, including policies, technical guidelines by UNEP/ILO/WHO, reviewing and studying on asbestos management and treatment technology in developed countries, reviewing and studying on asbestos management and treatment technology in Asia and the pacific, and attending the technical training workshop.

4.         Implementation of the “Capacity-building and Awareness-raising Workshop on Environmental Sound Management (ESM) of Asbestos Waste in Asia and the Pacific”. The workshop was held on 16-17^th December 2010, in Beijing China, and total 26 participants attended the workshop. The workshop was divided into two periods; the first period aiming at discussing management status, treatment technology of asbestos waste, and introduction of asbestos waste management experiences, from 16th December 2010 to 12:00am 17th December 2010 and the second part aiming at discussing challenges and difficulties in handling asbestos waste and suggestions on future actions in the ESM of asbestos waste at the country/regional levels on the afternoon of 17th December 2010. The workshop set an example for the environmental sound management of asbestos waste, and initiated the program of awareness-raising and capacity-building of asbestos waste in the region.