Chemical name: Asbestos, crocidolite, Trimagnesium;disodium;dihydroxy(oxo)silane;iron(3+)

Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Industrial

Final regulatory action: The chemical is Banned

Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action:

Romanian final regulatory action bans all uses of crocidolite

Use or uses that remain allowed:

No uses allowed.

The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: No

Summary of the final regulatory action:

Government Decision No 347/27.03.2003 regarding the restriction of placing on the market and of the use of some certain dangerous chemical substances and preparations transposed the European Council Directive no 76/769/EEC of 12 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations and establishes the restrictions to the placing on the market and to the use of substances, groups of substances and the dangerous chemical preparations presented in its Annex No 1, with the purpose of ensuring the health protection of the population and environment.

According with the Art. 4(1) - The substances, groups of substances and the dangerous chemical preparations provided at Art 1 may be placed on the market and used only with the abidance of the specific restriction conditions established in the Annex No. 1 Column B.

(2) the provisions of the Align (1) don't apply to the substances, groups of substances and the dangerous chemical preparations used for the research and development activities.

The provisions of the present Decision don't apply to:

the transport of dangerous chemical substances and preparations by land, by air or by sea

the dangerous chemical substances and preparations which are exported in countries not being members of the European Union

the dangerous chemical substances and preparations that are in transit or which are subjected to the customs operations, on the condition not to be processed.

The placing on the market and use of this kind of asbestos and of products containing this kind of asbestos, inclusive of the labelling of them, shall be in compliance with provisions of the specific regulations regarding prevention and control on pollution of environment with asbestos and other regulations regarding security and protection of workers health against the risk exposure to asbestos at the work place.

2.Government Decision no. 124(30.01.2003 on asbestos environment pollution's preventing, reducing and control

The purpose is to protect the population's health and the environment, starting of 1 January 2007 all activities of trading and using asbestos and the products containing asbestos are banned.

The asbestos is used in the conditions of enforcing some measures and procedures to assure the reduction at the source, as much as possible, of the asbestos emissions in the air or the aquatic environment and the solid waste containing asbestos, and the prevention of such emissions' appearance.

The measures foreseen at art. 4 Paragraph (3) must assure that the asbestos emissions' level in the air generated by the asbestos utilisation do not exceed the admissable limit value of 0.1 mg/m^{3 evacuated air. The installations evacuating residual gases with a flow smaller than 5000 m3/hr and whose asbestos emissions in the air are smaller than 0.5 g/hour in any moment of the installation's operation in normal conditions, are excepted from the provisions of paragraph (1).}

^{The products containing asbestos, traded until the enforcement date of the present decision, can be used until the end of the lifecycle of these products, no later than 31 December 2006.}

The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health and environment

Summary of known hazards and risks to human health:

Affects the workers who handle asbestos fibres for various uses. Can cause asbestosis (from 1998 to 2002 Romania has recorded 74 cases of asbestosis), no mesothelioma cases were recorded.

Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to human health:

The final regulatory action is expected to lead to a reduction of risk for human health.

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

Not enough data available

Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to the environment:

The final regulatory action is expected to lead to a reduction of risk for environment.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 01/07/2005

The Government Decision No 347/27.03.2003 enters into force on 1 July 2005. By derogation, the term of entry into force for the position 6 'Asbestos Fibers' of Annex No 1 of the Government Decision is 1 January 2007

The Government Decision No 124/30-01.2003 enters into force on 20 February 2004. All activities of trading and using asbestos and the products containing asbestos are banned from 1 January 2007.