ALU’s Anti-asbestos Campaign Saves Millions of Students, Teachers From Deadly Asbestos Dust in Philippine Schools

[ALU Associated Labor Unions]

ALU News Release
Date Released: 5 January 2012
Website: www.alu.org.ph
Facebook: Ban Asbestos Philippines

ALU’s Anti-asbestos Campaign Saves Millions of Students, Teachers From
Deadly Asbestos Dust in Philippine Schools

5 January 2012, Quezon City— The Associated Labor Unions’ (ALU) ban
asbestos campaign virtually saved millions of students, teachers, non-
teaching personnel, and communities from primary and secondary
exposure from asbestos dust following the recent decision of private
colleges and state universities’ to ban the toxic wire gauzes from
their campuses nationwide.
It can be recalled that in November last year, the Department of
Education (DepEd) issued an order to all regional, provincial, city
and municipal district superintendents to recall asbestos-containing
wire gauzes from all elementary and high school laboratories.
The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU)
President Peter Laurel recently disclosed they will review the wire
gauzes used in their schools. And if these contain asbestos, they will
ban its use and replace them with non-asbestos wire gauze.

This was followed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) who
said that these asbestos-containing wire gauzes should be recalled and
disposed of to avoid further contamination and/or exposure by
students, faculty, and the entire academic communities.

“In support of your campaign against the total ban and phase-out of
asbestos in the country considering the hazards it brings to our
health with constant exposure with the said chemical, we have already
sent a memorandum to all our regional offices so they can direct all
HEIs (schools) in their respective jurisdictions to dispose all
asbestos-containing materials used in chemistry and biology
laboratories,” said Atty. Julito Vitriolo, CHED executive director, in
his letter received by the campaign last week.

In a text message, Laurel, on the other hand, said: “we are behind you
in the anti-asbestos campaign.”

These responses came after the Associated Labor Unions’ Ban Asbestos
Philippines advocacy campaign met and gave CHED and PACU letters
urging their officials to ban the toxic wire gauzes. PACU has 180-
members private schools and colleges within their umbrella while CHED
supervises more than 2,180 state and local universities, colleges
including state university satellites all over the country.

“We are grateful that PACU and CHED positively answered our call and
moves toward ban and recall of all asbestos-containing wire gauzes
from their campuses. This is a huge victory for the campaign and very
important preventive measure in protecting millions of students,
teachers, non-teaching staffs, and immediate communities from
incurable cancers and diseases caused by primary and secondary
exposure from asbestos dust,” said Gerard Seno, ALU National Vice
President and Ban Asbestos Philippines program coordinator.

Three per cent of the deadly Chrysotile asbestos was found in a wire
gauze the ALU took from a school four months ago. In an analyses and
tests conducted by a private laboratory using polarized light and
dispersion staining technique, it was found out that it contains the
deadly Chrysotile asbestos that causes various and incurable asbestos-
related diseases and cancers such as asbestosis, pleural plaques
thickening and effusions, and mesothelioma which destroys the linings
that coat internal organs.

Asbestos-containing wire gauze is used in between a beaker or a flask
from direct heat of the flame. Repeated exposure to high and direct
flames, wire gauzes become brittle and crumbly. When disturbed, first
and second-hand exposure from its dust begins. The dust is almost
invincible to the naked eye because it is five thousand times smaller
than hair in diameter.

Once inhaled or ingested, asbestos dusts are lodged in the lungs,
larynx and other internal organs developing into cancer and other
diseases 10 to 30 years later.
Since 1977, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the International Labour
Organization (ILO) maintained that exposure to all asbestos, even in
small amount of its dust fibers, causes asbestos-related diseases.

Wire gauzes are used to separate the beaker or the flask from direct
fire from Bunsen burner. Repeated exposure to fire, wire gauzes become
fragile and crumbly. When the crumbly gauze is disturbed, first and
second-hand exposure to its dust begins—jeopardizing the health of
teachers, students, and their families at home.

The PACU is the oldest educational organization in the Philippines
representing private higher educational institutions. PACU recognizes
education’s responsibility to society and believes that access to
relevant quality education is the cornerstone of a democratic society.

CHED was created in 1994 and acts as a collegial body in formulating
plans, policies, and strategies relating to higher education.

The ALU, meanwhile, is the country’s pioneer in championing the ideals
of free-trade unionism. It partners with the Building and Woodworkers
International (BWI) in working towards ban and phase out of asbestos
in public and private infrastructures including residences, schools,
workplaces, churches, malls and power plants. ###