Asbestos has been imported to Thailand for more than 30 years; 90% of asbestos are used in cement manufacturing products such as roof tile and cement pipe, 8% in brake and clutch and the rest in vinyl floor tile, gasket, heat insulating material. There were approximately 1710 workers in 17 factories manufacturing materials containing asbestos.

Imported Chrysotile in Thailand Ton (1000 Kg) Year (Jan-Oct)

Law and regulation related to asbestos Divided asbestos into 2 groups 1. Chrysotile, hazardous substance type 3, are allowed to import, produce, export or possess. 2.Crocidolite and amosite, hazardous substance type 4, are not allowed to import, produce, export or possess. The permit for chrysotile need to control for quantity, production and storage location and transportation. Ministry of Industry Hazardous substance Act B.E. 2535

The factories shall have dust control measure, safe handling and use measures, personal protective equipment, material safety data sheet and workers’ health examination. Working environment dust level shall be less than 1 fiber/cm 3. Notification of the Ministry of Interior: Working Safety in Respect to Environmental Condition (Chemical) B.E The average concentration of asbestos / tremolite in the workplace shall not exceed 5 fibers/cm 3.

Asbestos related diseases in Thailand Asbestos related diseases have never been reported in Thailand. Only 13 pleural thickening cases out of 701 workers were reported from a survey conducted in 24 factories by the division of occupational Health, Ministry of Public Health, in It is probably because of several reasons:  Lack of specialist in diagnosis of asbestos related diseases  Lack of system in managing workers’ history  Long incubation period before developing diseases  Lack of effective health surveillance program

Some research projects were carried out related to Asbestos In Thailand.  Bureau of Occupational and environmental Diseases, Ministry of Public Health, conducted survey in 20 factories during  National Institute for Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment (NICE) conducted survey in 11 factories during  Department of Industrial Works, Ministry of Industry, conducted survey in factories in 2001.

Factory type Number of factory Asbestos in working area (f/cm 3 ) Asbestos exposure Personal samples (f/cm 3 ) Roof tile     Cement pipe   Vinyl floor tile   Asphalt undercoat and acrylic paints    Brake and clutch      SD, Range, Asbestos in working environment, mean  SD, Range, by the division of Occupational Health, Ministry of Public Health.

Factory type Number of sample Asbestos exposure Personal samples (f/cm 3 ) Mean  SD Range Roof tile  Cement pipe  Brake-pad  – Clutch  – 2.41 Asbestos in working environment by the National Institute for Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment (NICE), Ministry of Labour in 11 factories during

Asbestos in working environment conducted by Department of Industrial Works, Ministry of Industry, in Factory type Number of sample Asbestos exposure Personal samples (f/cm 3 ) Mean  SD Range Roof tile and cement pipe  Brake-clutch  – 25.71

Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, conducted research to reduce asbestos exposure in 4 roof tile manufacturing industries in 2002 and studied the risk of participants developing cancer in 60 office buildings and 76 homes using asbestos- containing materials.

Asbestos in Working Environment during Transportation of Asbestos from Container to Silo Job type/ Area Number of sample Type of sampling* Asbestos concentration (f/cm 3 ) Mean  SD Range Silo8A  Forklift driver 3P  Note * P = personal sampling, A = Area sampling

Asbestos in Working Environment during roof tile manufacturing process in 4 factories in 2002 Job type/ Area Number of sample Type of sampling * Asbestos concentration (f/cm 3 ) Mean  SD Range Lifting of asbestos bag 4P  Conveyor area4A  Manufacturin g process 9A  * P = personal sampling, A = Area sampling

Risk of Participants developing cancer from materials containing asbestos in 60 office buildings and 76 homes The risk of participants developing cancer from working in office building using materials containing asbestos was 2.40 x The risk of participants developing cancer in homes using materials containing asbestos was 2.10 x The risk of participants developing cancer from working in office building and staying in homes using materials containing asbestos was 8.83 x

Conclusion The highest risk group was workers in brake lining and pad industries who exposed to high level of chrysotile. The safety operation procedure and effective surveillance program should be set up and implemented in these types of small-sized industries to reduce exposure. If buildings using materials containing asbestos get older, the asbestos concentration in air will be increased, the risk of participants developing cancer will also increase, and we will realize the toxicity of asbestos.