Document gbL6R3mmrwrjL5aoo00NJ6Zke

FILE NAME: Volkswagon (VK) DATE: 1981 Mar 11 DOC#: VK001 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: ICEF Circular RE ICEF German Affiliate Calls for the Substitution of Asbestos by Harmless Materials WATERMAN LEGAL CONSULTANCY Specialist in aansprakelijkheidsrecht f%Xhuy., Mr dr. Y.R.K. Waterman Lid van de Vereniging voor Aansprakelijkheids- en Schadevergoedingsrecht P Kamperfoeliestraat 14 4725 AV Wouwse Plantage M 06 - 819 189 43 F 084 - 719 37 69 E waterman@watermanlegal.nl W www.watermanlegal nl B RABO-bank 12.02 81.937 KvK 20141657 BTW NL147062925B01 k VLt. lo tiu t ,S H rs 'W l 0 6 'U7M~s W ^ > U /'' ^Vvu(/|. ^ c ^ y c U J i . -, t f V U - 5 3 Mm ^X V U`U u*V ***' ^ ^ I OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH COMMUNIQUE COMMUNIQUE SUR LA SANTE PROFESSIONNELLE m b ARBEITSSCHUTZ - KOMMUNIQUE COMUNICATO SULLA SANIT PROFESSIONALE COMUNICADO SOBRE LA SALUD PROFESIONAL ARBETSMILJMEDDELANDE TO ALL ICEF AFFILIATED AND ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS Circular Letter No. 22/81 Geneva, 11th March, 1981 Dear Colleagues: ICEF GERMAN AFFILIATE CALLS FOR THE SUBSTITUTION OF ASBESTOS BY HARMLESS MATERIALS Workplaces in which employees are exposed to the risk of cancer or in which products are produced which can cause the user or worker at a later stage of manufacture very serious damage must be changed by the introduction of materials which do not involve any cancer or other health risks. This demand was the main point discussed at a recent working session of the IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik concerning the carcinogenic substance asbestos. This session was attended by invited representatives of the sciences, Federal and Regional Ministries, Federal Environmental Office, the Federal Bureau for Industrial Protection and Accident Prevention, professional associations and other German Union organizations concerned as well as factory councils from the asbestos industry. Egon Schafer, the member of the IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik Central Executive responsible for occupational health matters, called for a policy of sickness prevention rather than one of attacking the damage after it had been caused. This included the substitution of carcinogenic materials wherever risks to health during, production and processing and harmful effects on the environment could not be eliminated. Brother SchMfer stressed the fact that results and recommendations made by official scientists strengthened and supported the unions In their call for action to combat the.danger of cancer in the working environment. A recent official Asbestos Report of the Federal Environment Office and the state ments made at the meeting ,made it ever more incomprehensible why sectors of industry persisted to this day in claiming that the handling of asbestos ( Despite the dangers wh,ich have for decades been well known admissions of. the damage .Which asbestos causes to health, v " ase, the production of asbestos leaf. 58, rue ./2 ft-ir-11^ $8 ICEFCH CblJ W # m GanavT T*l*phoo8 (0221 33 7? go 2 The participants in the asbestos meeting were unni^U^ iation3 c o u p o n s and trade unions - together with the " ^ 1 heir and the relevant government authorities ha g chemie-Papler- common fight against the risks caused by asbestos. The IG Che Keramik took the initiative to lead the German drawing up a list of demands. These would include, inter al the compulsory substitution of asbestos by harmless or less dangerous substances; the inclusion of asbestos under Nomenclature as an extremely dang tbs placing of danger warnings on all asbestos produots. TOO Federal Ministry of Labnr ^ dl8trlbUt" 011 PartlClP" t*' The concern of works " u"" a step-by-step substitution of asbe ,,^ther'products would lead to a y U|Q argument that the pro duction " eSs r s . o t b r s of industry would create new jobs. * has called for immediate legislative moves IG Chemie-Papier-KeramiK nroce3Sing and handling of asbestos -rr ri d i^ r - - -- Yours fraternally. Charles Levinson Secretary General