LAHORE, Pakistan, Dec 30 (Asia Water Wire) - It is finger-pointing time in Pakistan as various groups push their arguments for or against the use in the country's water pipes of asbestos, already banned in many parts of the world.

   The government continues to allow the use of asbestos-enforced cement in pipes that supply drinking water to the public, and this has come under criticism.

    Dr Muhammad Yusuf, a family physician, points to a strong link between asbestos use in water pipes and the rising number of gastrointestinal patients in different parts of this South Asian country. The consumption of drinking water supplied through such pipes also results in cancer of kidneys and lungs, he says.

    "It's a pity that (while) countries like Poland and South Africa have banned asbestos-cement pipes, these are still being used in Pakistan," Dr Yusuf says. He adds that some countries that no longer produce asbestos also import such pipes illegally from Pakistan.

    When inhaled, asbestos, a fibrous mineral known for its resistance to fire and heat, has been observed to cause a number of illnesses, including pulmonary fibrosis, lung and larynx cancer, and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lining of the lungs and abdomen.

   According to figures released by the International Social Security Association (ISSA), more than two million tonnes of asbestos continue to produced each year. The leading producers as of 2004 were Russia (39 percent), China (16 percent), Kazakhstan (15 percent), Canada and Brazil (9 percent each), and Zimbabwe (7 percent).

   As of May 2006, 40 countries have banned the use of asbestos.

   The ISSA says that 601 cases of mesothelioma were diagnosed in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province between 1995 to 2003.

    But an official in the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Lahore tells Asia Water Wire that although asbestos is highly carcinogenic, it is harmful only if its particles are inhaled. "Drinking the water supplied through asbestos-cement pipes is not harmful for human health," says the official, who declined to be identified.

    He argued that that the 'propaganda' against asbestos pipes is the work of synthetic-pipe manufacturers who want to create a huge market for their products. "I don't oppose the use of synthetic pipes but what I want to say is that till the time we start (using) them, we can use asbestos pipes without any fear of getting ill," the WASA official says.

   However, he is not certain when the government will decide to switch to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. "For this, we need lots of funds and political will at the highest level," he offers.

    In Pakistan, steel asbestos and cement pipes have always been used for water sanitation purposes and as containers or pipes for the population's water supply. These pipes have a short lifespan and need repair or replacement often.

   By adding asbestos fibre to cement, the pipes can be made to be as thin as one centimetre. Without asbestos, the same pipes have to be at least four times thicker. Because they are cheaper, construction companies save a lot of money by using asbestos pipes.

    "Asbestos is a material made up of strong silky fibres, which can be separated and used for insulation purposes in cement pipes as well. The hazardous use of asbestos was not known to people when the cement pipe industry was developing in Pakistan," says Aftab Ahmed, a structural engineer based in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.

    For its part, the government cites a shortage of funds for its inability to replace worn-out water pipes with longer lasting materials made of PVC, which are also more expensive.

    But others say that the government must not risk citizens' lives by continuing to allow the use of asbestos in water pipes.

    "Now, it has grown into a big industry and it is not easy to ask them to just shut down their units and switch overnight to PVC pipes," Ahmed explains. "Anyhow, the proper phasing out of asbestos pipes is something feasible over a couple of years."

    Some 400 companies in major industrial cities in Pakistan manufacture PVC pipes. According to reports by the Small & Medium Enterprise Development Authority, the country produces 45,000 metric tonnes of PVC pipes annually.

    Apart from asbestos cement, Pakistan produces other types of materials used for pipes including mild steel, galvanised iron, cast iron, reinforced concrete cement and ductile iron. All of these manufacturers are capable of switching to PVC pipes.

   Dr Yusuf suggests that the government is not saving money by sticking to the use of the same asbestos cement pipes, because of their high cost in human health. "It's a one-time cost. Once the government spends on replacement of these pipes, it will definitely save millions of rupees required every year for medical treatment of patients suffering from asbestos-induced diseases," he says.

    But Jawad Hassan, a Lahore-based environmental lawyer, counters that only the crysotyle asbestos is allowed for industrial use in Pakistan and other parts of the world. "This type of asbestos is found in the Jefery mines in Canada and its import is allowed under Pakistan's import policy. Hazardous asbestos is not recommended for use in cement pipes meant to supply drinking water to the people," Jawad tells AWW.

   In 2002, Jawad defended Dadex, a Pakistan-based company, in the Lahore High Court for using asbestos-laced water pipes.

   The case was dismissed by Justice Nasim Sikandar on grounds that the particular type of asbestos being used by the company in pipes was not hazardous to health. Dadex since then has switched to producing PVC pipes.

    If consumer rights groups would like to see the use of asbestos cement pipes stopped, they should put pressure on the government and lobby for this, he added.(END/AWW/SI/LC/JS/301206)