PVA Fiber Replaces Asbestos

Asbestos is a silicate with a fiber structure. In building industry, it is mainly used as a thermal insulation material and a reinforcing material for certain building materials, such as asbestos cement products. The harm of asbestos to humans did not arouse widespread concern until the 1980s.

At the beginning of this century, "Asbestosis" was discovered and confirmed to be caused by inhalation of asbestos dust, but it was only regarded as a kind of "silicosis" and was not directly related to the formation of lung cancer. Later, after a lot of clinical research, it was found that asbestos dust can cause "Mesothelioma". The so-called "mesothelioma" is a cancer on the sternum, ribs or peritoneum. It is a disease with an incubation period of 30-45 years. It has been observed that if less than 1 mg of asbestos remains in the lungs, severe lung cancer may occur, and less than 1 mg of asbestos remains in the sternum and peritoneum can cause "mesothelioma".

So far, there is no good and curable medicine for the diseases caused by asbestos. The only way is to prevent it. Try not to come into contact with asbestos products, or take effective protective measures when you come into contact with them. Asbestos fiber cement products used for interior and exterior wall decoration and indoor ceilings contain fine asbestos fibers. If it is inhaled, it may cause incurable asbestosis in mild cases, and various cancers in severe cases, causing great pain to patients.

Since the United Nations International Labour Convention No. 162 of the Convention on the Reliable Use of Asbestos came into effect in 1989, the world has begun to prohibit the use of asbestos-containing products and the distribution of asbestos in any form. From 1990 to 2000, the European Community, the United States and Canada, Singapore, Chile and Australia and other regions have enacted legislation to prohibit the sale or use of asbestos-containing fibers and products in their territories. With the continuous convening of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention every two years, the voice of banning asbestos in other areas is also increasing. The global ban on asbestos has become the general trend and popular desire.

Since 2000, China has carried out research on asbestos substitute fibers and produced asbestos-free cement products, and has achieved success. On December 27, 2012, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Environmental Protection jointly issued the "Encouraged Catalogue of Substitutes for Toxic and Harmful Raw Materials (2012 Edition)", listing high-strength and high-modulus PVA fibers as an alternative to asbestos.

In China, a large number of asbestos tiles are used in construction sites, and even the phenomenon of asbestos mesh is still used in the chemical laboratories of junior high school and high school, which is very worrying. Some enterprises in China have also realized the harm of asbestos and started to produce asbestos-free cement board. For the sake of our next generation, when decorating and renovating the house, it is better to use non-asbestos cement products when conditions permit.