Most Member States have banned all forms of asbestos, however 15 countries in the European Region still use it for building materials, and some continue to produce and export it. Even after abandoning its use, asbestos lingers in the environment, so it needs to be removed and disposed of immediately and in a safe manner. In Europe alone an estimated 47,000 annual asbestos-related deaths are estimated [1]. On the other hand, water bodies in the EU remain under pressure from pollution sources. On a European scale, only around 40 % of the surface water bodies are in good ecological status and 38 % of surface water bodies are in good chemical status [2]. Industrial releases to water are one element that exerts pressure on European waters, alongside discharges of other pollutants, such as animal waste, silo juices, and oil spills.
[1]Stephen Schindler. (2020). Asbestos – Not a problem of the past. In ETUI, The European Trade Union Institute. https://www.etui.org/topics/health-safety-working-conditions/hesamag/construction-workers-at-the-mercy-of-social-dumping/asbestos-not-a-problem-of-the-past
[2] European Environment Agency report (2018). Industrial waste water treatment – pressures on Europe's environment.
