Regional Mobilization on Asbestos Hazard
At the end of last year Azerbaijan, a former Soviet Republic, announced its plans to outlaw the use of asbestos and asbestos-containing products.1 This follows unilateral bans adopted in Estonia (2001), Latvia (2001), Lithuania (2005), Moldova (2024) and Ukraine (2022). Pro-asbestos propaganda spread by Russian and Kazakh producers – responsible for ~70% of global asbestos output – has clearly lost the dominance it once had over the regional asbestos discourse.
Asbestos materials were widely used in Azerbaijan by the construction, cement, chemical and insulation sectors. According to the State Statistics Committee: in 2023, 591 tonnes/t of raw asbestos and 30,238t of asbestos-containing sheets were imported; in 2024 the imports of these products were 1,045t and 27,634t, respectively. Almost 30% of all roofing and water pipes in Azerbaijan contain asbestos.2
In late December, 2025, a plenary session of the Azerbaijani Parliament adopted a proposal to exclude asbestos and asbestos-containing materials from domestic markets at the first reading.3 Arguments supporting these prohibitions emphasized the carcinogenic nature of all forms of asbestos. As one news report explained:
“According to recent scientific research, asbestos poses a serious threat to human health. When asbestos fibers become airborne and are inhaled, the risk of developing various diseases, including lung disease, increases. Therefore, the use of asbestos has already been banned in a number of countries, and restricting and eventually banning its use is considered an important measure to protect public health.”4
In another online article, Azerbaijani ecologist Rovshan Abbasov confirmed the global consensus on the need for action on the asbestos hazard:
“The history of asbestos bans in developed countries begins with the discovery of a direct link between this mineral and the development of severe lung diseases, including cancer. Medical studies have irrefutably proven the carcinogenicity of asbestos fibres when inhaled.”5
If the amendments are adopted, the prohibitions will come into force on July 1, 2027.
January 6, 2026
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1 Azerbaijani parliament adopts asbestos ban proposal in first reading. December 26, 2025.
https://report.az/en/milli-majlis/azerbaijani-parliament-adopts-asbestos-ban-proposal-in-first-reading
2 Запрет асбеста в Азербайджане: вырастут ли цены на стройматериалы? комментарий эксперта по недвижимости; все еще актуально [Asbestos price in Azerbaijan: will the prices of building materials increase? Real estate expert’s comment; still relevant]. December 29, 2025.
https://haqqin.az/newsarchive/370485
3 Асбест уходит в прошлое: как новый запрет может повлиять на строительный рынок в Азербайджане? [Asbestos is becoming a thing of the past: how can the new ban affect the construction market in Azerbaijan?] December 25, 2025.
https://media.az/society/asbest-uhodit-v-proshloe-kak-novyj-zapret-mozhet-povliyat-na-stroitelnyj-rynok-v-azerbajdzhane
4 ВНИМАНИЮ граждан: В Азербайджане введен важный запрет [ATTENTION citizens: An important ban has been introduced in Azerbaijan]. December 23, 2025.
https://baku.ws/ru/obschestvo/vnimaniyu-grazhdan-v-azerbajdzhane-vveden-vazhnyj-zapret
5 Асбест уходит в прошлое: как новый запрет может повлиять на строительный рынок в Азербайджане? [Asbestos is becoming a thing of the past: how can the new ban affect the construction market in Azerbaijan?] December 25, 2025.
https://media.az/society/asbest-uhodit-v-proshloe-kak-novyj-zapret-mozhet-povliyat-na-stroitelnyj-rynok-v-azerbajdzhane
