Activities of Deirdre CLUNE related to 2019/2182(INL)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION with recommendations to the Commission on protecting workers from asbestos
Amendments (17)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
1a. whereas a financial framework, based on the use of Union Structural and Investment Funds, should be established to support building owners and linking the removal of asbestos to other public policies and programmes (such as energy efficiency, improvements of the living environment and social housing) for reasons of efficiency and the use of synergies;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that worldwide hundreds ofasbestos remains one of the most significant occupational health challenges; 125 millions of people areworldwide have been exposed to asbestos every year,in the workplace1a; despite its health risks having been known for decades; __________________ 1aWHO, Asbestos: elimination of asbestos-related diseases 2018.
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the existence of different types of non-occupational exposure to asbestos, whether of para-occupational, domestic or environmental origin; in that regard, calls on the Commission to update, no later than 31 December 2022, the Asbestos at Work Directive1a with a view to amending the existing binding occupational exposure limit value (OEL) for asbestos, taking into account the latest scientific knowledge and technical developments, including an evaluation of different types of asbestos fibres and their adverse health effects, as well as to start the process for updating the list of fibroussilicates within the scope of the directive and in this context consider the inclusion of actinolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, grunerite and riebeckite as well as winchite, richterite, fluoro-edenite, and erionite, as well as an assessment of a differentiated limit value for different types of asbestos fibres; __________________ 1a Directive 2009/148/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work (OJ L 330, 16.12.2009, p. 28–36)
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that asbestos diseases have been observed in populationdetected in communities living or having lived in the vicinity of industrial sites or premises with degraded flocking;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls a WHO study1a which outlines a substantial increase in risk for lung cancer due to co-exposure of tobacco smoke and asbestos fibres; __________________ 1aWHO, Asbestos: elimination of asbestos-related diseases 2018, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Evaluation of the practical implementation of the EU occupational safety and health (OSH) directives in EU Member States.
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to set out a European strategy for the complete elimination of asbestos; calls on all Member States to adopt national action plans to implement that strategy; considers that the Commission should coordinate the national action plans, in particular through the adoption of a framework directive on this matter; underlines in this context the need for a coherent methodology for risk assessment to ensure a Union level playing field and to avoid fragmentation of the single market;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that unsafe working conditions for workers may expose society as a whole to risks of asbestos exposure, in particular the families of the workers concerned; therefore calls on the Member States to improve the number, frequency, and quality of their inspections. The EU and the Member States should go well beyond the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) minimum objective of one inspector for every 10 000 workers;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that unsafe working conditions for workers may expose society as a whole to risks of asbestos exposure, in particular the families of the workers concerned; In case of a fire, all existing information regarding the presence and location of asbestos should be shared with firefighters;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that unsafe workinglabour conditions for workers may expose society as a whole to risks of asbestos exposure, in particular the families of the workers concerned;
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Highlights the importance of ensuring sufficient and focused support to employers in transposing these protective measures, in particular SMEs and micro- enterprises, in order to avoid non- compliance; recalls the importance of adequate financial support from relevant existing EU funds to ensure proper support and to encourage correct and safe removal of any asbestos detected;
Amendment 97 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. The definition of models for monitoring asbestos fibres suspended in the air in the workplace, built-up areas and landfills, and fibres present in drinking water supplied through asbestos cement pipes;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. The development of European Union-wide information campaigns on asbestos to provide relevant information to workers, employers, owners, tenants, users of buildings and infrastructure, and citizens about the risks and legal obligations relating to asbestos;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. The establishment of centres for the treatment and inerting of waste containing asbestos by providing forthus facilitating the phasing out of the disposal of such waste in landfills;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. The establishment of a European framework for national asbestos removal strategies, including a legislative proposal for public and accessible asbestos registers, together with a mapping of the exact location of asbestos on public and private sites;