Russian Asbestos producer puts Trump 'seal of approval' on deadly product
Whilst the majority of the World is moving away from asbestos, it seems some countries are still intent on exporting and using the deadly material. Uralasbest – the largest miner and supplier of asbestos – has decided to place a Donald Trump ‘seal of approval’ on its exports.
Uralasbest, based in the Russian town of Asbest, has begun to embellish pallets of its chrysotile asbestos product with a seal of Trump’s face, along with the words “Approved by Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States”. The town was referred to as the “dying city” due to its high rate of lung cancer and other asbestos-related health issues.
The move came after Trump stated in his Twitter feed that asbestos was “100% safe, once applied” in 2017. Despite many developed countries banning the product which is linked to lung diseases including the incurable mesothelioma, it seems some people are still prepared to ignore the expert evidence.
Russia is now the largest exporter of asbestos to America, despite Mr Trump criticising other World Leaders for importing products from the former Soviet Union. In July 2018, the 45th President of the United States accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Government of being “totally controlled” and “captive to Russia” for importing Russian gas.
An estimated 5,000 people died of asbestos related diseases in 2016 in the UK, with the number expected to peak in 2019. Many of those deaths were related to people who worked in industries which relied on asbestos containing materials, including ship building, roofing, plumbers, electricians and the automotive sector.
Asbestos is not currently banned in the United States.
