Information on the use of asbestos - cement pipe in USAID/Egypt water and wastewater projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that asbestos-cement pipe presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health, and a U.S. ban on the production and importation of the pipe will take effect by 1996. However, USAID/E took the position in 10/90 that EPA rulings do not apply to Egypt, despite an A.I.D./W telegram stating that EPA guidance on asbestos was applicable to all Missions in Asia and the Near East. Asbestos-cement pipe is manufactured by an Egyptian public sector firm, SIEGWART Company, and is one of the country"s most important industrial goods. Some 70,000 tons of the pipe were produced in 1990. Mission officials state that the pipe is frequently procured for USAID/E water and wastewater projects, but exact amounts cannot be determined. The Basic Village Services and the Provincial Cities Development projects have financed about 330 km and 40 km of pipe respectively, and continue to use it in ongoing activities. In contrast, the Mission has moved to eliminate the use of asbestos-cement pipe for potable water systems under its large Cairo Water II project. Local governments lack the capability to monitor for asbestos, and thus the incidence of asbestos fibers in the potable water supply is unknown. However, a 1982 contractor report to USAID/E states that the quality of the asbestos-cement pipe was very poor and that asbestos fibers are released into drinking water as a result of tapping and fitting during construction and erosion of the pipes themselves.