\[Regulation and ban of asbestos in Latin America and the Caribbean: a comparative policy analysis\]

Our plain-English summary of [Regulation and ban of asbestos in Latin America and the Caribbean: a comparative policy analysis], by F.A. Escobar-Díaz, C.A. Orozco-Castaño (Revista de Salud Pública, 2025).

The study

• Authors: F.A. Escobar-Díaz, C.A. Orozco-Castaño
• Journal: Revista de Salud Pública
• Published: 2025;27(2):118081
• Language: Spanish
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Introduction: Asbestos is a mineral used in different industrial activities, but it has a significant impact on the health of the working population. Several countries have established policies to prohibit or regulate its use.

Objective: Comparatively characterize public policy measures to prohibit and regulate asbestos in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Methods: Qualitative design using the comparative policy analysis method. Documentary sources based on current national standards were consulted and six categories were constructed based on inductive coding.

Results: The comparison between public policies of the countries of the region reflects some relevant aspects such as: scope of the prohibition, multisectoral surveillance organizations and sanctioning actions; conditions and exceptions for asbestos substitution; prevention, monitoring and health care activities; disposal and management of asbestos waste and formulation of specific policies or programs.

Conclusions: Only a small group of countries in the region have a total ban on asbestos, reflecting the international situation. It is important to continue advancing in studies that analyze political processes and evaluations of policy implementation in each country (source: MeSH, NLM).

In plain English

This was a qualitative comparative policy analysis of documents, not a medical study. The authors examined national rules on asbestos in force up to 2022 in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, and grouped their contents into six themes. They reported that, of 19 such countries, seven had no asbestos regulations, although the list they give names eight countries, including Panama, which their tables show as regulating asbestos. Of the remaining 12 countries, five had total bans: Argentina (2000), Chile (2000), Uruguay (2002), Honduras (2004) and Colombia (2019). The other countries among those 12 only had regulatory measures. Costa Rica, for example, banned the import and use of crocidolite. Only Peru and Colombia acted through laws passed by their congresses. Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Costa Rica allowed exceptions when asbestos could not be replaced, while Colombia's law set no exceptions. Few policies set out prevention, health monitoring or care. The authors concluded that most countries in the region have regulatory policies, while only a few have totally banned asbestos.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Qualitative comparative policy analysis of documents (national laws and rules), with content grouped into six inductively built categories
• Who was studied: National asbestos policies of the 19 Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America and the Caribbean
• Exposure: Laws, regulations, resolutions and other national rules on banning or regulating asbestos that were in force at the time of the study, up to 2022
• Main results:
  • Of the 19 Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, seven were reported to have no asbestos regulations. The list given names eight countries, including Panama.
  • Of the remaining 12 countries, five had total bans: Argentina (2000), Chile (2000), Uruguay (2002), Honduras (2004) and Colombia (2019).
  • The other countries among those 12 had only regulatory measures, not bans.
  • Ratifying ILO Convention 162 did not mean a country regulated asbestos. Guatemala ratified it but has no rules to regulate or ban asbestos.
  • In countries that only regulate asbestos, provisions follow ILO Convention 162. For example, Costa Rica bans the import and use of crocidolite.
  • Only Peru and Colombia had rules set out in laws passed by their congresses. In the other countries, the rules came from executive-branch decisions.
  • Peru and Colombia created intersectoral bodies to oversee compliance.
  • Chile, despite its total ban, can authorize asbestos use in products other than construction products.
  • Peru, Ecuador and Costa Rica also allow such exceptions.
  • Argentina allows authorization, for no more than one year at a time, when replacement is shown to be impossible.
  • Colombia's law sets no exceptions.
  • Few policies set out actions for risk prevention, health monitoring and health services.
  • Colombia created a care pathway for people exposed to asbestos.
  • Panama's rules, like Costa Rica's, require labelling of asbestos-containing products or containers.
  • Only Colombia and Peru include other complementary policies or plans on asbestos.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that most countries in the region have set policies with regulatory scope, while only a few have managed to ban asbestos totally. They called for further studies of political processes and of how policies are implemented in each country.

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• Prevention of Asbestos Exposure in Latin America within a Global Public Health Perspective — E. Algranti, J.P. Ramos-Bonilla, et al. (2019)
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• International scientific cooperation on asbestos-related disease prevention in Latin America — D. Marsili, P. Comba, et al. (2014)
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