The list of items prohibited from civil circulation in Azerbaijan will be expanded.
According to Modern.az, this issue was reflected in the draft law on amendments to the Law “On the List of Items Prohibited from Civil Circulation (withdrawn from civil circulation)”, which was discussed at today's plenary session of the Milli Majlis.
According to the draft, asbestos and asbestos-containing materials will be added to the list of items prohibited from civil circulation (withdrawn from civil circulation) in accordance with the Civil Code.
It was stated that asbestos is a mineral-based material widely used for many years in many sectors of industry (cement, chemical, insulation, paper industry, etc.) and in construction.
According to the State Statistical Committee, 1,045 tons of asbestos and 27,634 tons of asbestos-containing sheets were imported in 2024. Asbestos-containing roofing materials (slate) constitute 29 percent of the total roofing stock in the country and cover an area of approximately 190 million m². Slate consumption in the country amounts to 2.6 million m² or 1.5 million sheets. Currently, 15-20 percent of the country's roofing market is accounted for by slate.
It was emphasized that after scientific research proved its serious danger to human health, the use of asbestos and asbestos-containing products was banned in several countries. The inhalation of asbestos fibers into the respiratory tract increases the risk of various diseases, including lung diseases. For this reason, restricting and completely banning the use of asbestos is considered an important step in terms of protecting public health.
The World Health Organization has classified asbestos and asbestos-containing products as carcinogenic products. At the suggestion of the World Health Organization, the implementation of appropriate measures at the national level to prevent asbestos-related diseases has been accepted as an obligation by member countries.
These types of construction materials have been banned in the relevant norms of the European Union. Thus, to prevent health risks associated with asbestos, the European Union adopted relevant directives in 1999 and 2009 regarding the prohibition of the use of asbestos and asbestos products. With Directive No. 1999/77/EC, the use of asbestos fibers and the application of chrysotile asbestos in new areas have been prohibited in the European Union since January 1, 2005.
Asbestos has been classified as a hazardous substance by the UN Basel Convention “On the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal”.
In the “Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade” (our country joined this convention with a law dated September 30, 2025), asbestos products are classified as hazardous chemicals, and their international trade is subject to certain restrictions. According to the document, the product poses a serious threat to human health, and its trade is regulated by specific procedures.
Thus, taking into account international experience, according to the draft law, asbestos and asbestos-containing materials are included in the list of items prohibited from civil circulation (withdrawn from civil circulation).
The draft law was approved in the third reading.
