Olugbenga Akindele Silas¹, Robert L. Murphy², Ayuba I. Zoaka³, Lucius Chidiebere Imoh^4,

Background: Asbestos is identified as a hazardous substance of public health concern and has led to its regulation or ban in many countries. Local and international politics have hampered the regulation and outright ban of this hazardous substance in many countries. While UK and USA did not out rightly ban but regulated its use, most developing countries continue in the production, sale and use of asbestos mostly due to economic reasons. The objective of this review is to identify previous publications on asbestos highlighting health effects and politics bordering its regulation. Also to recommend measures to curtail its production, use and sale especially in developing countries. Methods: A systematic review to identify suitable studies from MEDLINE and Electronic search through GOOGLE for original, review articles and documents on politics, law and health effects of asbestos. A total of 19 articles and online documents were finally selected and reviewed after screening out those not falling within the inclusion criteria. Results: The materials used in this review highlight the negative health impact of asbestos in various countries. Factors identified as militating against effective regulation or ban of this hazardous substance in many counties includes politics, economic gain, ignorance and unavailability of safe asbestos substitutes. Conclusion: Though the production and sale of asbestos have decreased in many developed countries, many developing countries still trade in this hazardous substance with its attendant health consequences. Increased political will, continuous research on health impact and financial aid to developing nations to acquire alternatives will help to reduce the menace of asbestos.

asbestos, abatement, politics, mesotheliomas, asbestos-related diseases, developing countries