The National Assembly has approved at the final reading the removal of asbestos and materials containing asbestos from civil circulation.
Publika.az reports that amendments to the law "On the list of items not allowed in civil circulation (removed from civil circulation)" were discussed at today's parliamentary session regarding this matter.
According to the draft amendment, taking into account international experience, asbestos and materials containing asbestos are included in the list of items not allowed in civil circulation (removed from civil circulation).
The law is planned to come into force on July 1, 2027.
It should be recalled that asbestos is a mineral-based material that has been widely used in many sectors of industry (cement, chemical, insulation, paper industry, etc.) and construction for many years.
According to data from the State Statistics Committee, in 2023, 591 tons of asbestos and 30,238 tons of sheets containing asbestos were imported into Azerbaijan, and in 2024, 1,045 tons of asbestos and 27,634 tons of sheets containing asbestos were imported.
Asbestos-containing roofing (slate) accounts for 29 percent of the total roofing stock in the country and covers approximately 190 million m². The consumption of slate in the country is 2.6 million m² or 1.5 million sheets. Currently, 15-20 percent of the country's roofing market is occupied by slate.
After scientific research proved that it poses a serious threat to human health, the use of asbestos and asbestos-containing products has been banned in several countries.
The inhalation of asbestos fibers dispersed in the air into the respiratory tract increases the risk of various diseases, including lung diseases. For this reason, limiting and completely banning the use of asbestos is considered an important step for protecting public health.
The document was adopted at the third reading after discussions.