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. 2008 Aug 14;116(12):1675–1680. doi: 10.1289/ehp.11272

Table 2.

Historical trend in per capita asbestos use and status of national ban.

Use of asbestosa (kg per capita/year)
Country code 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Change in use (Δ) from 1970 to 1985b National banc
Asia
 ISR 3.13 2.87 1.23 0.78 0.44 0.02 −0.59 No ban
 JPN 0.56 2.02 2.92 2.66 1.81 0.46 0.12 2004
 Othersd (n = 39) 0.06 0.15 0.25 0.27 0.30 0.31 0.05 3/39
Eastern Europe and Southern Europe
 HRV 0.39 1.13 2.56 2.36 0.95 0.65 0.49 No ban
 CZE 1.62 2.36 2.91 2.73 1.30 0.14 0.21 2005
 HUN 0.76 1.23 2.87 3.29 1.50 0.16 1.32 2005
 POL 0.36 1.24 2.36 2.09 1.05 0.01 −0.11 1997
 ROU NA1 NA1 1.08 0.19 0.52 0.55 −1.73 2007
 ESP 0.32 1.37 2.23 1.26 0.80 0.18 −1.07 2002
 Othersd (n = 15) 0.79 1.57 2.35 2.05 2.35 1.72 0.30 5/15
Northern Europe and Western Europe
 AUT 1.16 3.19 3.92 2.08 0.36 0.00 −1.77 1990
 DNK 3.07 4.80 4.42 1.62 0.09 NA2 −2.96 1986
 FIN 2.16 2.26 1.89 0.78 NA1 0 −1.53 1992
 FRA 1.38 2.41 2.64 1.53 0.73 0.00 −1.06 1996
 DEU 1.84 2.60 4.44 2.43 0.10 0.00 −0.30 1993
 ISL 0.21 2.62 1.70 0.02 0 0.00 −2.52 1983
 LTU NA1 NA1 NA1 NA1 0.54 0.06 NA1 2005
 LUX 4.02 5.54 5.30 3.23 1.61 0.00 −2.04 2002
 NLD 1.29 1.70 1.82 0.72 0.21 0.00 −1.20 1994
 NOR 1.38 2.00 1.16 0.03 0 0.00 −1.72 1984
 SWE 1.85 2.30 1.44 0.11 0.04 NA2 −1.96 1986
 GBR 2.62 2.90 2.27 0.87 0.18 0.00 −1.41 1999
 Othersd (n = 5) 3.05 4.32 4.05 2.40 0.93 0.05 −1.30 5/5
Americas excluding South America
 CAN 2.76 3.46 4.37 2.74 1.96 0.32 −1.66 No ban
 CUB NA1 NA1 NA1 0.15 0.36 0.74 NA1 No ban
 MEX 0.28 0.57 0.97 0.77 0.39 0.26 0.04 No ban
 USA 3.82 3.32 2.40 0.77 0.08 0.01 −1.73 No ban
 Othersd (n = 12) 0.06 0.22 0.44 0.29 0.07 0.07 −0.08 0/12
South America
 ARG NA1 0.88 0.76 0.40 0.18 0.04 −0.26 2001
 BRA 0.27 0.38 0.99 1.25 1.07 0.74 0.66 2001
 CHL 0.07 0.92 0.56 0.64 0.55 0.03 0.14 2001
 ECU NA1 NA1 0.67 0.52 0.14 0.26 0.29 No ban
 URY NA1 0.74 0.75 0.54 0.47 0.08 −0.20 2002
 Othersd (n = 6) 0.27 0.43 0.60 0.47 0.29 0.19 −0.04 0/6
Oceania
 AUS 3.24 4.84 5.11 1.82 0.09 0.03 −2.71 2003
 NZL 2.05 2.56 2.90 1.00 NA1 NA1 −2.56 No ban
 Othersd (n = 3) NA1 NA1 NA1 NA1 NA1 0.22 NA1 0/3

Abbreviations: NA 1, data not available; NA 2, not applicable because of negative use data: 0.00 when the calculated data were < 0.005; 0 if there are no data after the year the ban was introduced. See Table 1 for country codes.

a

Numbers corresponding to use of asbestos by country and region were calculated as annual use per capita averaged over the respective decade.

b

Change in use (Δ, kilograms per capita/year) during the period defined as the difference between the average of consumption during the former subperiod (1970–1975) and latter subperiod (1980–1985).

c

Year first achieved or year planned to achieve ban. When shown as fraction, the numerator is the number of countries that achieved bans and the denominator is the number of other countries in the region.

d

Data on asbestos use were available (but mortality data unavailable) for others in each region, in which case data were aggregated.