Elimination of asbestos

In Vietnam, the construction sector uses 54,000 tonnes of asbestos annually, ranking as one of the top importers of ‘fibro cement’. Most of the supply goes to low-income and vulnerable populations unaware of the health risks of exposure to friable airborne asbestos. 

In a 2021 project, Habitat for Humanity Vietnam set up zero-asbestos villages²¹ as part of its response to successive storms that tore into the central region. Members of local communities took part in group discussions on the dangers of using building materials that contain asbestos and learned how to build back safer. The pilot project served over 3,000 people and the local government was also mobilised to provide safe locations to store asbestos sheets and debris.

RELATED: The Symbiotic Relationship between Housing and Health

The Symbiotic Relationship between Housing and Health

Climate change was famously called a monster of our own making. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, which swiftly evolved into the most significant health problem of this century. The health and economic fallouts are well documented, particularly on already vulnerable families and communities. ⠀ For some people, staying at home posed threats to their health and well-being, including infestations, mold, and structural housing problems. Through these global crises, housing continues to play a pivotal role in ensuring people’s health and well-being. When the pandemic struck, governments around the world including Asia ordered people to stay at home […]

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²¹ https://habitatvietnam.org/piloting-asbestos-free-villages-in-vietnam/