Asbestos found on China-made trains in NZ & Australia

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Asbestos found on China-made trains in NZ & Australia

March 2nd, 2014 | Author: Editorial

Singapore's new Downtown Line uses trains which are made in China (Photo: LTA)

The New Zealand Herald reported today (2 Mar) that asbestos found on Chinese-made trains used by KiwiRail could cost workers’ lives (‘Asbestos on Chinese-made trains could cost workers lives‘).

NZ Herald reported that 40 of the NZ state-owned company’s trains were taken out of action following the discovery of the potentially deadly material in a soundproofing compound inside one of the vehicles on Friday (28 Feb).
Initial tests had confirmed the asbestos was contained and not a health risk, KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy said. However, further testing will be carried out to see if the material had leaked into the air or onto surfaces of any of the trains.

Many of the NZ rail workers are concerned. The NZ’s Rail and Marine Transport Union (RMTU) said the situation had left many workers fearing for their health and that of their families.
Mr Wayne Butson, general secretary of RMTU, told the media:
If these locos had been made in Dunedin (in NZ), or even in any other first world country, we wouldn’t be putting up with this rubbish. It’s pretty symptomatic of why most Kiwis are sceptical about anything that comes out of China.
Earlier KiwiRail said the inclusion of asbestos in the trains was in breach of a contract specification which clearly stated the material should not be used.

“We are clearly very disappointed with this situation and working closely with the manufacturers to understand how this could possibly have occurred. They have taken full responsibility for this and have undertaken to do whatever is necessary to rectify the situation as quickly as possible for us,” Mr Reidy said.

Reporting the same news, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) revealed that the trains used by KiwiRail were made by Chinese manufacturer Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co Ltd [Link].

ABC reported that the Chinese manufacturer has since confirmed it used chrysotile, or white asbestos, in a sound-proofing compound which is either coated with paint or sealed beneath the panelling.

Last November, ABC reported that 10 freight locomotives made by China Southern Rail were also pulled from service in Australia after workers were exposed to potentially deadly asbestos dust [Link].

In Singapore, the new trains plying the Downtown Line (DTL) are also made in China. A total of 73 train sets consisting of 3 cars each were purchased by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) at a cost of approximately $571 million in a public tender in 2008 (‘Made-in-China trains for Downtown Line unveiled‘).

LTA had previously assured the public that the made-in-China DTL trains meet rigorous safety standards (‘LTA: Made-in-China trains meet rigorous safety standards‘).

The DTL trains were manufactured in Changchun, Jilin Province of China. LTA said that the trains were assembled in China, but their components come from 8 different countries, including China (which manufactured the car body), Sweden, UK, France, Spain, the Czech Republic and Germany.

The first stage of DTL or DTL1 opened in December last year, linking 6 stations from Bugis to Chinatown.

It is not known if asbestos has also been used for soundproofing in the China-made DTL trains.

Asbestos became increasingly popular among manufacturers and builders in the late 19th century because of its sound absorption, average tensile strength, resistance to fire, heat, electrical and chemical damage, and, most important of all, affordability.

However, prolonged inhalation of asbestos can cause serious illnesses including malignant lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. These asbestos-related diseases will not affect people immediately but usually later on in life. The trade and use of asbestos have been restricted or banned in many countries.


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