Activities of Cyrus ENGERER related to 2019/2182(INL)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION with recommendations to the Commission on protecting workers from asbestos
Amendments (26)
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that all types of asbestos- related diseases such as lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma – caused by the inhalation of asbestos-suspended fibres thin enough to reach the alveoli and long enough to exceed the size of macrophages, as well as different types of cancer caused not only by the inhalation of airborne fibre but also by the ingestion of water containing such fibres coming from asbestos pipes – have been recognised as a health hazard and can take several decades, and in some cases more than 40 years, to become apparent;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Stresses that asbestos is a non- threshold carcinogen, meaning that every level of exposure, however low, brings a risk of developing cancer;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that asbestos diseases have been observed in populations living or having lived in the vicinity of industrial sites or premises with degraded flocking, including populations living close to construction sites, train infrastructures, shipyards and power plants;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls, that despite the Europe- wide ban on asbestos (1999, to be implemented by 2005), asbestos still kills people in Europe. Whereas all types of asbestos are dangerous and its hazard impact has been documented and subject to regulations, and despite the ban on the use of asbestos, it is still found in many ships, trains, machinery, bunkers, tunnels, galleries, pipes in public and private water distribution networks and especially in buildings, including many public and private buildings;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that a study by Italian scientists has shown that ingestion of water containing asbestos fibres significantly increases the risk of gastric and colorectal cancers; further recalls that in line with WHO recommendations asbestos-cement pipes should no longer be used or approved for drinking water;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses, that background concentration levels of asbestos in the atmosphere should be known and measured all over Europe;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Considers that citizens should receive equal protection from exposure to asbestos in their living spaces; urges the Commission in this regard to ensure the protection of all citizens by introducing exposure limit values for asbestos in living spaces as it is necessary, notably in view of para-occupational exposure by means of which exposed workers transport asbestos fibres to the house setting;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Recalls that more information is needed with regard to population exposure through contact with commercial products containing asbestos, such as housing materials and their disturbance through normal activity; adds that risks arising from populations exposed to naturally occurring asbestos materials is also an area where information is lacking;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Stresses that increased environmental exposure in view of the deterioration of the building stock in the EU leads to more cases of mesothelioma;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 e (new)
Paragraph 4 e (new)
4e. Urges the Commission and Member States in this regard to support research into the risks related to such environmental asbestos exposure pathways;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls the anticipated increase in construction work in view of the Renovation Wave which will be accompanied by increased occupational and environmental exposure to asbestos fibres; highlights the need for asbestos to be substituted with energy efficient materials in the context of the Renovation Wave;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Stresses the need to establish public registers relating to asbestos and minimum standards relating to their implementation; recalls that such minimum standards relating to public registers need to be linked to health and safety policies and to environmental and public health regulations;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Highlights the need for the treatment of asbestos waste and the safe handling, removal and substitution of this substance in waste streams to be at the heart of the strategy to be developed by the Commission; recalls the need for greater circularity in the construction sector and the importance of preventing asbestos waste from entering the circular economy;
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9c. Recalls that the disposal of asbestos waste in landfills is a short-term solution which is leading to the release of asbestos fibres into the environment to the detriment of public health;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Paragraph 9 d (new)
9d. Calls on the Commission to promote the establishment throughout the EU of centres for the treatment and inertisation of waste containing asbestos, combined with phasing out all delivery of such waste to landfills;
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 e (new)
Paragraph 9 e (new)
9e. Highlights the need for the EU to fight in international fora against the dumping of asbestos in developing countries;
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 f (new)
Paragraph 9 f (new)
9f. Emphasises the need for synergies between the strategy to be developed by the Commission, the circular economy objectives including the labelling system and the strategy for a sustainable built environment; highlights also the need for synergies to be created between the strategy and existing initiatives concerning the development of a knowledge base in relation to the substitution of hazardous substances of concern;
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 g (new)
Paragraph 9 g (new)
9g. Recalls the need for transparency with regard to the presence and composition of asbestos fibres in waste streams with a view to improving dismantling and decontamination techniques in order to facilitate the recovery of waste; encourages the creation of synergies with the database being set up by the European Chemicals Agency to gather information and improve knowledge about substances of concern in products and in products when they become waste;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. The establishment of centres for the treatment and inerting of waste containing asbestos by providing for the phasing out of the disposal of such waste in landfillintegration of an EU-wide plan in the strategy to be developed by the Commission for the treatment of asbestos waste and the safe handling, removal and substitution of this substance in waste streams;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. The establishment of centres for the treatment and inerting of waste containing asbestos by providing for the phasing out of the disposal of such waste in landfills and other harmful practices such as its disposal in waterbodies;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. The development of a strategic plan for the EU to increase its activity and influence on global level with regard to the fight against dumping of asbestos in developing countries;
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. The establishment of a European framework for public and accessible asbestos registers and minimum standards relating to their implementation, together with a mapping of the exact location of asbestos on public and private sites;
Amendment 121 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. The active involvement of the social partnersmeasurement and access to information with regard to background concentration levels of asbestos in the atmosphere all over the EU and other stakeholders, such as asbestos victims’ group introduction of exposure limit values for living spaces.
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. The identification of funding instruments including both EU and national funds for the implementation of the Strategy to be adopted by the Commission.
Amendment 126 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. To support research into the risks related to environmental asbestos exposure pathways.
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. The active involvement of the social partners and other stakeholders, such as asbestos victims’ groups, tenants and environmental organizations.