Video: How Cambodia is Tackling The Dangers of Asbestos

When we asked lab technician Moniroth about her role in helping secure an asbestos-free future for Cambodia, she told us she’s proud that she can warn people about the dangers of products that contain asbestos.

Moniroth is one of the lab technicians who are now trained to use a specialised microscope that can detect the danger of asbestos. With the support of the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA), the Australian Embassy in Cambodia, and the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), Cambodian lab technicians can detect dangerous asbestos materials in consumer and construction products for the first time.

One of the Australian trainers, Malcolm Burgin, explained how the project will benefit Cambodian communities and workplaces:

“The intention is to teach people how to identify the asbestos in products. If we know the asbestos is there, we know what type of product it is going to show up in, which means that we can put the controls in place to prevent the workers and the public from being exposed to the dust.”

Everybody deserves to work is safe workplaces and live in clean communities free from asbestos. That’s why Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA is working with partner organisations around the world to ban asbestos in South East Asia.