MEPs discuss and vote the protection of workers from asbestos during a meeting of the EP Committee on Employment and Social Affairs in the European Parliament in Brussels. Statement by Nikolaj VILLUMSEN (The Left, DK), rapporteur

Brussels

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

statement

meeting

vote

working conditions in the EU (T)

ĎURIŠ NICHOLSONOVÁ, Lucia (Renew, SK)

VILLUMSEN, Nikolaj (The Left, DK)

Vote on Protecting workers from asbestos: statement by Nikolaj VILLUMSEN (The Left, DK), rapporteur

SOUNDBITE (English), Nikolaj VILLUMSEN (The Left, DK), Rapporteur, <p>Asbestos was banned in Europe in 2005 there was a total ban, but we have a situation where 80% of the buildings in Europe were built before the total ban took place and that means when we are in a situation where buildings are being renovated not least due to the green renovation waves which is extremely important for Climate but it can lead to a lot of exposure for workers working on asbetstos, there is really a need to take action. Because who are affected the most that is mostly construction workers but also firefighters and people using buildings, living in buildings, being neighbours to buildings that are renovated. We know that alone in 2019, more than 90,000 people died of asbestos related diseases and this is a number that is growing and therefore if we do not take action now we will risk of tens of thousands of not least of construction workers will loose their lives in the green renovation wave if we do not make sure that there is better protection against asbestos.</p>

<p>SOUNDBITE (English), Nikolaj VILLUMSEN (The Left, DK), Rapporteur, Basically we are putting forward a proposal for a strategy for the removal of all asbestos in Europe because that is needed if we want to have a socially just transition we need to make sure that those who do the job, who renovate the houses do not lose their lives so that means that we need to adapt the limit value to the newest science saying that even low exposure to asbestos can be deadly, and we need to have mandatory screenings of houses before renovating we need to have public registries so we know where the asbestos is in the houses and at least we need to have better and mandatory and very good education of the workers who are going out and doing the renovation. So this is this is the proposal coming from the from the parliament and I really hope the commission will listen.</p>

Atmosphere in the meeting room, EMPL Chair Lucia ĎURI&Scaron; NICHOLSONOV&Aacute; announcing the opening of the remote vote, 12 shots<a></a>