Russian Roulette with Rotterdam Convention

Abstract

JOM, Vol. 67, No. 11, 2015 DOI: 10.1007/s11837-015-1651-x O 2015 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society Russian Roulette with Rotterdam Convention Oladele A. Ogunseitan Opinion: For Your Consideration Always interested in hearing the thoughts of our readers, JOM offers For Your Consideration as a forum for individual opinions. On this page, we encourage thoughtful discourse on topics pertaining to JOM coverage areas. Opinions expressed are the author’s and not necessarily those of TMS or the editorial staff. We want to hear from you! Find out how to submit your opinion to JOM at http://www.tms .org/pubs/journals/JOM /authorTypesofPapers .aspx In his treatise on natural history, Pliny the Elder described the invention of a woven napkin material that is LQGHVWUXFWLEOHE\?UHZKLFKKHHQWLWOHG asbestinon. 1 The extraordinary qualities of DVEHVWRV?EHUVPDGHWKHPLQGLVSHQVDEOH for numerous domestic and industrial products and processes. However, evidence increasingly accumulated about adverse health effects of asbestos. Akin to compulsively pulling the trigger on a gun loaded with a single rare bullet aimed at the chest, 125 million people are regularly H[SRVHGWRDVEHVWRV?EHUVDQGHDFK\HDU luck runs out for 107,000 of these people. The outcome for the unlucky is death by mesothelioma among other asbestos- linked preventable diseases. 2 Eradication of asbestos-related chronic diseases may hinge on banning the mining and use of DVEHVWRV?EHUVLQFRQVXPHUSURGXFWV6XFK a ban will require complete cooperation of all nations to adopt binding regulatory policies and the compliance of private corporations with such international decisions. The United Nations’ Rotterdam Convention (RC) provides a nearly perfect framework for advancing toward a mesothelioma-free world. The RC was designed to “promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm.” 3 To bridge some of the translational science gaps between countries with robust research programs and countries with great needs in disease prevention, the RC emphasizes informed consent, and aims to facilitate information exchange about hazardous chemicals and materials characteristics, thereby supporting national decision-making processes on their production, importation, and exportation (Figure 1). Parties to the RC make binding decisions through unanimous consent during biannual conferences. Although desirable for some types of international governance, the requirement for unanimous consent has proven to be a peculiar weakness of the RC. At 3:45 a.m. on 16 May 2015, the meetings of the Conference of Parties to the Basel, 5RWWHUGDPDQG6WRFNKROP&RQYHQWLRQV ended with much trumpeted successes toward protecting people all over the world from the adverse health impacts of toxic chemicals. But one major failure largely overshadowed the successes—seven countries, led by Russian Federation and including Cuba, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe voiced informal opposition to the adoption of a formal recommendation that chrysotile, the serpentine form of asbestos &$61RVKRXOGEHFRPH subject to the prior informed consent procedure by its inclusion in Annex-III of the RC. 5 Despite moving testimony from ailing victims of asbestosis and vocal support from most of the 154 Parties to the RC, Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, .\UJ\]VWDQDQG=LPEDEZHFRQ?UPHG WKHLURSSRVLWLRQDWWKH?QDOSOHQDU session to shoot down the chrysotile recommendation. The 2015 conference LVWKH?IWKWLPHWKDWDIHZFRXQWULHVZLOO have blocked the inclusion of chrysotile in Annex-III of the RC. Delegates of opposing countries usually give three reasons for their staunch position. First, that there are no cost-effective alternatives for chrysotile in the building, construction,