A French law banning the use of asbestos in new buildings from 1 January 1997 will have little impact on French company Saint-Gobain, a company executive has said.
“It“s a non-event,” said the execu…
A French law banning the use of asbestos in new buildings from 1 January 1997 will have little impact on French company Saint-Gobain, a company executive has said. “It“s a non-event,” said the executive, who declined to be named. But the company would be closing one factory employing 240 near Tours, central France, which has an annual turnover of FFr 300-400 million, he said. The state published a decree in late-December 1996 outlawing the manufacture, import or export of most kinds of asbestos as of 1 January 1997. The government and building industry had been in talks since last July when the measure was proposed, the executive said. Saint-Gobain stopped all asbestos production in September, he added. “Saint-Gobain mixed asbestos with cement to make wave-shaped roof slates and coverings for houses and farm hangars. The company has another product made of cement and glass fibre which, while not a substitute, could be used in similar applications. The alternative costs between 30-40% more than the discontinued product,” he said.