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중국산 백석면개스킷제품(그림파일)이 불법으로 돈다는 호주언론의 지적이고 브라질의 여성활동가이자 근로감독관인 페르난다도 여기저기 그런 문제가 많다고 지적하고 있습니다. 특히 개도국에서는 샘플링과 분석이 어려워 힘들다고 합니다.
호주는 상대적으로 이른 1991년부터 석면함유물질 사용을 금지하기 시작했다고 하는데 중국산 불법석면제품사용문제가 골치아프게 합니다. 우리나라도 한번 고민해봐야할 사안입니다.
- 아 래(원문) -
ASBESTOS SCARE: A green asbestos-lined gasket found in Alcoa's Pinjarra refinery. Source: PerthNow
HUNDREDS of refinery workers have been potentially exposed to deadly asbestos fibres from components that were illegally imported from China.
In April workers at Alcoa's Pinjarra alumina refinery came into contact with chrysotile asbestos while "stripping/refurbishing'' imported pipe gaskets.
Asbestos is known to cause incurable lung cancer and the importation of any products that use it is illegal without commonwealth approval.
The Sunday Times has obtained documents that show 1167 gaskets lined with asbestos were supplied to Alcoa by Pinjarra Engineering in 2005 and were fitted to steel piping across the Pinjarra plant.
The gaskets, which were disguised by Chinese exporters to look asbestos-free, were ground and hammered during routine maintenance, workers say. This potentially exposed them to deadly dust.
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Alcoa said it was alerted to the problem in April, but refused to disclose whether the gaskets had also been installed at any of its other WA refineries.
In a statement the company said it was "very confident that the risk presented by these valves is extremely small''.
"Sampling and air monitoring conducted in the valve-bay workshop did not detect any asbestos,'' the statement said.
Australian Customs would not comment on how the illegal imports made it into the country.
Mines Minister Norman Moore confirmed that state mining engineer Simon Ridge was investigating the matter.
"Should there be prima-facie evidence against any individual or company, then appropriate enforcement action will be taken,'' Mr Moore said.
"It is inappropriate to risk any potential prosecution action by commenting further at this point.''
More than 20 Alcoa workers have approached the Asbestos Diseases Society in Osborne Park, according to its president, Robert Vojakovic, who criticised the company for not shutting down operations after the asbestos discovery.
"There is no safe level to asbestos no matter how small and they (the workers) would have had gross (heavy) exposure to asbestos,'' Mr Vojakovic said.
Pinjarra Engineering did not return calls from The Sunday Times on Friday.
Alcoa said engineering drawings contained a written statement saying "no asbestos''.
"The suspect gasket was only discovered when one of the valves wasdismantled during routine maintenance,'' the Alcoa statement said.
"The asbestos in the gasket is not friable and simply disturbing or exposing the gasket would not give rise to airborne fibres.
"Alcoa is very confident that the risk presented by these valves is extremely small.''
Last year 252 people died in WA from asbestos-related lung cancers.
The Health Department has not been notified about the matter, a spokeswoman said.
Customs alerted WorkSafe only after questions were asked by The Sunday Times.
The penalty for importing asbestos products in breach of Customs Regulations is three times the value of the goods or a fine of up to $110,000, whichever is greater.
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