Harmful Effects of Asbestos on Human Health, Threats and Regulations

Abstract

Everyone has a right to live in a healthy environment, and to enjoy the natural environment. It is a duty of the state to ensure a safe environment for the health benefits (Law of Georgia on Health Protection, 1997). A person has a right to obtain the complete, unbiased and timely information regarding the condition of his/her working and living environment. Many factors negatively affect human health. The human health is greatly depending as on genetic, social and economic factors so on person’s living and working environment. The air and elements existing in it have the most significant impact on human health and his/her welfare. The harmful/toxic substances which cause poisoning of an organism could be revealed with its negative effect after many years, and even decades later. It could be revealed by various diseases, such as oncological, respiratory system, cardiovascular system diseases, and congenital pathologies and as many other diseases after 20-40 years.

As a result of the pollution of the atmospheric air the millions of people are dying. According to the data of the World Health Organization, by maintaining a healthy environment it is possible to save the lives of 13 000 000 people. The polluted atmospheric air is harmful for people, and especially for the children. The polluted atmospheric air is a reason for causing many acute and chronic diseases and complications (National Report of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, 2014-2015).

Many world’s international, non-governmental (UNFP; WHO; IARC; ILO) and country’s local public organizations are permanently involved as in the regulations on using the chemical substances so on their further neutralization. The environmental challenges and the ways to overcome them are taking an increasingly important place in the public consciousness. Especially towards such issues as are the atmospheric air, soil and drinking water pollution. The presented ecological challenges are significantly progressing and is of a large-scale nature. Asbestos is one of the factors of atmospheric air pollution.