Asbestos is a group of naturally-occurring silicate minerals which form long and thin fibres. There are six main types of asbestos in nature, namely Chrysotile or white asbestos and five types of amphibole asbestos. Asbestos is an excellent thermal and electrical insulator, and is resistant to fire and chemicals. As a result, asbestos was widely used all over the world for making roofing sheets, floor tiles, pipes, insulation for buildings, fireproof materials and cement products. By the late 1970s, the harmful health effects of asbestos were well known and its use drastically dropped in many countries.
Inhalation of asbestos fibres can cause a number of lung ailments, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. WHO classifies all the six types of asbestos as Grade 1 carcinogens, with no safe exposure level. Asbestos is banned in more than 66 countries worldwide.
Status of Asbestos Use in India
Asbestos is not banned in India. However, the mining of asbestos was banned way back in the year 1993 when the Government of India prohibited the issuing of mining licences for asbestos. Even though asbestos mining is banned in India, the country continues to import, process and use Chrysotile or white asbestos. In fact, India is the world’s largest importer of asbestos, accounting for 44% of global imports in the year 2021. Major suppliers of Chrysotile to India are Russia, Brazil, China, Canada and Kazakhstan.
Asbestos is commonly used in India for the manufacturing of asbestos-cement roofing sheets and pipes, brake linings and insulation products. According to the Government of India, most of the asbestos industry in India uses the wet process, which minimises the dispersion of asbestos fibres in the air.
In the year 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change stated that there was no proposal to ban asbestos in the country. In the year 2024, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers stated that no type of asbestos is banned in the country.
Regulations on Asbestos in India
Asbestos has been classified as hazardous under the Factories Act, 1948 and Model Rules. It stipulates worker safety measures like safety equipment and health checks, alongside asbestos handling protocols. Environmental Protection Act, 1986 provides a broad framework for environmental safety compliance for asbestos.
Hazardous and Other Wastes(Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules 2016, provides guidelines for transportation, storage and disposal of asbestos waste.
In the year 2025, the Ministry of Education banned the use of asbestos in the construction or refurbishment of government-run schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas.
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