China is poised to surpass other leading, industrialized nations in car manufacturing with inexpensive cars. Instead of taking decades to adapt and revolutionize car manufacturing, the Chinese industry has just taken a few short years to catch up with the rest of the world. However, this incredible transformation has come at a cost.
In recent months, many Chinese car brands have come under fire for poor safety and quality in the rush to become a viable car alternative on the international market.
Nearly 25,000 inexpensive Chinese cars from two car manufacturing companies Great Wall and Chery are expected to be recalled in Australia after it was discovered that asbestos was used in gaskets. Many industrialized nations like Australia have banned asbestos in mining and manufacturing as well as have banned the importation and exportation of asbestos.
After the discovery of the asbestos gaskets, production at both companies stopped. Great Wall and Chery are currently researching potential replacement materials for the toxic gaskets, but initially said that car production did not include asbestos.
As of Tuesday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is debating whether to issue a recall of the 25,000 cars imported into the country. A final recall decision is expected later this week. Ateco Automotive, the company in charge of importation of both Chinese brands, initially ruled that the asbestos gaskets pose a “negligible” health threat for drivers and passengers.
Up until it was banned in most countries, asbestos was a common material used in car manufacturing. Besides gaskets, asbestos was used in other automotive parts like brakes, brake components, clutch linings, disc and drum brakes, and transmission plates.
A naturally occurring set of minerals, asbestos was widely used in a variety of products up until the late 1990s and early 2000s in many industrialized nations. After it was discovered that asbestos is a carcinogen akin to cigarette smoke, most countries banned the material.
Exposure to asbestos is the leading cause of a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma. Affecting the delicate protective lining of the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity, mesothelioma can take upwards of several decades to present symptoms. Once in play, mesothelioma is a fast moving disease without a cure.
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