The use of asbestos in Indonesia's industrial sector continues to pose a real threat to workers' safety. A tragic story is shared by Siti Kristina (60) and Adi Hariyanto (47), former factory workers who must now survive with permanently damaged lungs. After working for decades amid daily exposure to asbestos dust, both were diagnosed with chronic lung diseases for which there is still no cure.
Siti Kristina, a former asbestos spinning operator in Cibinong, West Java, only began to experience symptoms of chronic cough and shortness of breath after ten years of work. Meanwhile, Adi, a former forklift operator at an asbestos roofing factory in Karawang, was diagnosed with Asbestos-Related Disease (ARD) in the form of pleural calcification after undergoing thorough medical examinations post-retirement. Both serve as concrete evidence of how micro-asbestos particles slowly destroy the human respiratory system.
Occupational Toxicology Expert Dr. Anna Suraya explained that extremely fine and sharp asbestos fibers easily enter the lungs when inhaled. The human body is unable to break down these mineral fibers, triggering prolonged inflammation and permanent hardening of lung tissue. The damaging effects of this exposure are latent, with clinical symptoms often only appearing 10 to dozens of years later in the form of asbestosis or even lung cancer.
Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized all types of asbestos as carcinogenic substances and more than 70 countries have banned its use, Indonesia remains one of the largest importers and consumers of chrysotile asbestos in the world. The widespread use of asbestos in building materials such as corrugated roofs, pipes, and brake pads keeps the potential for exposure in society and work environments high.
The NGO LION Indonesia, which focuses on occupational safety, notes that current detected cases are just the tip of the iceberg of a much larger problem. Many factories are suspected of ignoring Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards by only providing ordinary cloth masks that cannot filter micro-asbestos particles, combined with weak government supervision due to personnel limitations.
In addition to medical hurdles, sick workers must also navigate a winding road to obtain Occupational Disease (OD) status. Siti Kristina had to fight for 11 years to obtain that recognition from BPJS Ketenagakerjaan to receive compensation. A lengthy bureaucratic process that is felt to be disproportionate to the physical suffering and lifelong medical costs they must endure.
Pressure is now mounting for the government to immediately revise regulations regarding the use of this hazardous material. Occupational safety experts and activists are pushing for an industrial transition roadmap to shift to safer raw material alternatives, as well as stricter legal sanctions for companies that violate safety rules to protect workers' right to life.
