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The European Union has voted to ban white asbestos by 2005, raising the
stakes in the transatlantic trade war. Blue and brown asbestos, which are potent
carcinogens, were banned by a European directive in 1991. Last week, member
states decided to add white, chrysotile asbestos to the list, following the
example of nine EU countries that have individually implemented bans. Canada,
the world’s largest exporter of asbestos, describes the decision as
“inappropriate”, having already complained to the World Trade Organization that
a ban on white asbestos by France was not made on health grounds.