House of Yabbie

ASBESTOS IN INDONESIA

2012-01-19T23:10:00.000-08:00

I get endless emails about ASBESTOS in INDONESIA
So I thought I would paste up one of my responses here:

Tim
The WHO and the ILO are very very clear, that in line with scientific evidence; there is no known safe minimum exposure level to any form of asbestos, crocidolite (serpentine or blue), chrysotile (white) or amosite (brown).

The falsified discussion around chrysotile asbestos has been initiated by shonky research undertaken by the Canadian Industry funded chrysotile research institute. The institute has little or no scientific legitimacy and their publications have been consistently ridiculed in all respected journals.

Asbestos has three distinct health impacts.
1) General Lung cancer
Asbestos in your lungs greatly increases your probability of contracting lung cancer. As yet no one has documented the exact linkage, hence the dodgey asbestos industry will argue that without a known documented causal effect, it cant be proved that it is asbestos that causes this.

In reality the epidemiological evidence of a high increase in risk is clear and unquestionable. Again nobody has been able to determine a safe minimum exposure level, as one single fibre is sufficient to induce cancer. Rather practicable minimum filtration levels have been agreed upon to allow its removal with a minimal death rate.

2) Asbestosis
This fatal disease is a result of the build up of scar tissue in the lungs from being endlessly cut by microscopic shards of asbestos that the body has difficulty coughing out. The chrysotile asbestos lobby industry argues that chrysotile asbestos is less angular in form and that as such experiments show that it is less effective at cutting the lung surface making it safer than other forms.

This argument remains completely spurious, its like saying a small bullet is less deadly than a large bullet. Again the epidemiological evidence of deaths from Asbestosis caused by chrysotile asbestos is clear and irrefutable. It continues to kill people, and again there is no clear evidence on any form of safe minimum exposure level to prevent this form of death. It is clear that the bulk of victims of Asbestos worked in high exposure areas, cleaning break drums, cutting roofing, or working in mines or factories.

3) Mesothelioma
This is a particularly nasty, slow acting forming version of cancer caused specifically from of Asbestos. Most cases are caused by inhalation, though it can also be caused through ingestion and skin penetration. All form of asbestos are known to produce this form of cancer, with known or scientifically documented difference between crystalline forms.

Asbestos In Indonesia
Indonesia imported over 100,000 tonnes of asbestos in 2010, with 90% being used in roof and wall sheeting manufacture. Indonesia is currently the third largest imported of Asbestos in the world. Current estimates are that for approximately every 150 tonnes of Asbestos imported into a country 1 person will die. Given much high levels of smoking and much lower levels of worker protection this rate is almost certain to be much higher in Indonesia.

The Canadian government in support of jobs in the Canadian mining industry has actively promoted the sale of asbestos to Indonesia. see attached flyer. Asbestos is imported into Indonesia from Russia, Brazil, Canada along with from India and China in Asbestos containing products.

With an average of 25 to 30 years till effects show up, Asbestos is a slow and deadly killer. Asbestos imports in Indonesia started when markets in the west closed in the 1980's and big business turned their eyes to the emerging markets of Asia. This is now 30 years ago.

My sources indicate that currently the biggest imported of Chrysotile Asbestos into Indonesia is Bakrie Industries, followed by an Indonesian/Australian conglomerate in Bandung. In line with the Chrysotile Institutes propaganda, it continues to be legal to import, manufacture products and sell white asbestos in Indonesia.
The sale, use, import or export of all forms of asbestos including Chrysotile (white death) has been banned in more than 50 countries

Asbestos is and will be the next major epidemic in Indonesia. In a country where autopsy's and rarely conducted and where the government has not outlawed asbestos and therefor does not test for its resultant diseases. This silent epidemic will occur, but remain undocumented.

The worlds deadliest animals !

2011-11-27T23:55:00.000-08:00

I am so sick of hearing, and also perhaps guilty of guessing which 10 animals should be counted as the worlds deadliest...

Whilst trying to work out how deadly the very large black and yellow wasp was that stung me today... I came across an article listing the top 10 deadly animals The articles inclusion of the Australian Crocodile illicited this post. The article stated the crocodile killed 2000 Australians a year, clearly fantasy and although one of the animals I most fear and respect, its inclusion in this list is clearly fantasy

The amount of deaths from Crocodiles in Australia according to the comprehensive study of deaths in Australia 1980-1990 by Stevons and Paxton 1992, was 8, an average of .7 per year, as far as I am aware this has gone down not up. By this standard the 2,000 a year claimed would be a national epidemic on equal with male suicides and other chronic issues

It seems important to distinguish deadliest as in kills the most or deadliest as in is most aggressive, or deadliest as in greatest potential to kill, or deadliest as in perceived as nastiest etc etc etc i.e

The Golden Dart Frog and the Northern Australian Box Jelly fish may win one category as they can cause death simply by accidental contact

The very nature of the Australian Inland Taipan and the Polar bear may win a second category due their sudden and aggressive behaviour

Though the animal that has killed the most humans in history, after humans of course, is most certainly won by Rat flees, for the black plague, and Mosquitoes for Malaria, dengue, Ross river fever etc

Aside from insects the clear killers is almost certainly animals that live in close proximity to humans and therefore simply have more opportunity;
Rabies from Dogs
Flu virus's crossing over from Birds to pigs to humans in dense population areas such as China
Falls from Horses and Donkeys

Which Wild animals kill the most humans is perhaps another category, most probably won by all reports by the Hippo, the Cape Buffalo and the cobra

Which ones scare us most because of their sheer brutality and speed, might be the final grouping, now here Crocodiles and sharks probably win in terms of deaths, whilst perhaps more people are scared of bears, wolves and other nasties.

I would love to see someone produce a real list rather then the common personal fantasies or guesses (like mine! ) that I see on the web

If you know of one please let me know

http://www.borobudur.tv/

2011-10-03T23:47:00.000-07:00

Just a link to an amazingly informative website about Borobodur etc

2010-05-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

2008-12-22T02:15:00.000-08:00

Another day lost in report writing

2007-08-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder why and how i dob myself into these things
Here I am sitting at my desk churning out reports in a production line
(well when i say churning... I haven't actually finished the first one yet)
I know I am a reluctant writer and a verbose speaker
[what is the opposite of verbose?? reluctant is not quite right)
Yet somehow I have agreed to a fit of writing, with an tight deadline

This alone is the reason, my new lappy is now installed with the latest software
I have now started a blog, new white board purchased and installed
all other possible distractions now addressed !!!
aduh !

back to school we go
d

marsupial welcomes arthropod

2007-08-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

welcome, yabbie -- there's more than enough room for both of us here.

wombat.

and now its blogging - how did U resist for so long ....

2007-08-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

hey davester - when do U find the time to blog given your eclectic work life work life arrangments. Still if the blog continues U will be able to spread the snapshot of you hectic life work style far and wide so that those who have not yet savoured the delights of Tembe and Yogya may be encouraged to sojourn that way....... looking forward to another visit to the house of dave and friends (say hi to Ibu)and then communal sailing adventure a la Raja Ampat in november. As always take care - kelO

The House of Silence

2007-08-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

Baited the rats
the guests all went home
the plastic shredder is silenced
Ibu knocked off early and Pak started late
alone at last
a reprieve
a breather
silence

Trying to concentrate on my thoughts and reports
A new white board delivered to assist in my chaos
Silence

The house in Tembi, is empty for the first time in many months
a gap in the storm that enthralls the big yabbie

And the game commences

2007-08-05T23:22:00.000-07:00

So i finally succumbed, here i am blogging
Who knows if this will last or if its just a passing fad

The idea of this blog is to act as a bit of a guest book for my house in Tembi
perhaps as a guidebook to jogja etc
who knows
it will be what it will be
perhaps like most blogs just a ramble