Situation To date Europe has consumed about 50% of the cumulative world asbestos production. Although 38 out of 53 European countries (72%) have banned asbestos, 300 million Europeans still live with a potential risk of exposure.

Use and health outcomes Europe’s takes 65% share of the yearly world asbestos production and 30.7% share of consumption. A total of 30 000 to 47000 ARD fatalities are estimated to occur in Europe including about 50% of all occupational cancer deaths. In the asbestos banning countries the ARDs increase; the non-banning countries record lower ARD rates.

Policies and practices Many European countries prohibited crocidolite and asbestos spraying in the early 1970s. Total bans were launched in 9 countries in the 1980s and the 1990s. The EU launched in 1983 protective and in 1999 preventive policies against asbestos. The EU asbestos ban came into force in 2005. The banning terminated the use of new asbestos, but protection of asbestos demolition workers is still a great challenge for which the EU has provided stringent regulations and guides. Policies from the WHO Regional Office for Europe and ILO cover all the 53 countries, including the 15 non-banning countries. The ILO and WHO Euro have called all countries to draw up national asbestos profiles, national programmes for elimination of ARDs and their better registration.

Proposals for further actions International Organisations, Global Coalition, EU and countries could jointly work for:

• Pan–European ban of asbestos

• Implementing the ‘Freeing the EU from asbestos by 2030’ initiative

• Information and support for safe alternatives

• Registration and labelling of sources, surveillance and registration of exposures and exposed workers

• Guidance in diagnosis and recognition of ARDs

• National programmes for:

  • Elimination of exposures and for demolition

  • Elimination of ARDs

  • Capacity building, information, awareness raising.