Why asbestos is still used around the world

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals. These are useful because of their excellent tensile strength, poor heat conduction and resistance to chemical attack. Today, chrysotile – the only commercial asbestos still in use – is mostly used in fibre cement boards. Asbestos is banned in 55 countries around the world, including Japan, Australia and all countries in the European Union. However, while it is no longer used in much of the Western world, countries such as India and China still include it in various products, using hundreds of thousands of metric tonnes each year. Inevitably, sometimes asbestos-containing products are shipped to Western countries.