IS THE USE OF ASBESTOS PERMITTED IN VIETNAM?

SNB-Newsletter

• The European Union's Directive 1999/77/EC bans the placing on the market and use of products containing asbestos since 2005.
• Vietnam has acceded the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in international trade on May 7, 2007.
• Vietnam has opposed the listing of white asbestos in Annex III of the Convention for many years.
• All asbestos in Vietnam is imported. It is primarily used in the manufacturing of roof sheets.
• Until now, the use of white asbestos is not banned in Vietnam.
• Under the relevant Vietnamese Decree No. 09/2021/ND-CP on management of construction materials, the concentration of white asbestos in a production area must not exceed 0.1 fibers/ml and 0.5 fibers/ml of air as an eight-hour time-weighted average and one-hour time-weighted average respectively.
• Plans to treat scrap, dust and wastewater are required by the Decree.
• Vietnam has announced plans to phase out the use of white asbestos.
• RECOMMENDATION: Insist on contractual asbesto warranty in construction and real estate projects in Vietnam banned in Vietnam.