The "Result of production and testing PVA fiber reinforced corrugated sheets in Vietnam and Japan" seminar
the seminar
PANO - In many countries, the use of asbestos in production has long been restricted or banned while many local and foreign makers in Vietnam still use asbestos as an additive to produce cement roof tiles.
According to studies and surveys around the world, the material can cause serious diseases in both workers and users and the results show that the rate of asbestos victims is high.
At a seminar on research and test of fibre-reinforced cement roof tiles in Vietnam and Japan, two Vietnamese scientists, Doctor Do Quoc Quang of the Technology Institute under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Doctor Nguyen Dinh Kien of the Mechanics Institute, and their collaborator, representatives of Japan’s Kuraray Ltd., demonstrated the technology to produce PVA fibre cement roof tiles.
The seminar, which took place on March 11 in Hanoi, drew the interest of top officials from ministries of Commerce-Industry, Science-Technology and Construction, domestic and international scientists, and businesses.
Research, test and production process
In 2002, the two Vietnamese scientists entered into the work by carrying out research on material to replace toxic asbestos used in roof tile production in Vietnam. Since then, they have conducted a series of state- and ministerial-level researches on substitutes for asbestos and developed the technology to manufacture non-asbestos cement roof tiles.
By 2005, the two scientists with the assistance of their colleagues, Danish and Japanese experts had successfully developed a strong mixture of cement and some additives including PVA fiber and pulp that can be used to produce cement roof tiles.
In 2005 they collaborated with Tan Thuan Cuong company and Japan’s Kuraray Ltd. to continue their work with improving the already-existing technology of Hatcheck and building a production line to make fibre-reinforced cement roof tiles at both companies.
The production line was put into operation and first products were manufactured at Tan Thuan Thanh company in Vietnam in 2007. The product, which has been technically tested at Kuraray and Tan Thuan Cuong companies, proves to be either lighter or more elastic than similar products in the Vietnamese market and as strong as them.
According to results of tests in Japan, the PVA fibre cement roof tile satisfies international standards of strength, softness and safety.
Beyond scientific significance
Doctor Đo Quoc Quang and Mr. Yoshihiro
Questioned by representatives of businesses at the seminar about the price of the new product, Doctor Quang said, “According to estimates, the cost of the PVA fibre cement roof tile is 20-30 per cent higher than similar asbestos cement roof tiles.”
“But I hope that when the new product is made in mass production, the price will go down to that of asbestos ones,” Quang added.
“Of course, we took the cost of the product into consideration when conducting our researches. Still we believe what is more important is safety for the workers and users and the community as a whole,” he said.
Sharing the view, a Japanese expert from Kuraray, Yoshihiro Iwasaki, said, “The use of asbestos was restricted in Japan in the 1970s and prohibited in 2004. Yet, Japanese government and companies that once produced asbestos roof tiles pay billions yen as compensation to the toxin’s victims and their families every year.”
Some scientists and management officials from ministries suggested that scientists and businesses further study and develop, especially use domestic material resources to lower the cost of the product. They also discussed measures to produce roof tiles that can better resist heat from the sun as Vietnam is in the tropical region.
Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry Do Huu Hao said the research was not only scientific but also practical and had social meaning. “The two scientists have not stopped their researches on paper but continued to develop the technology to realise the result of their research. In our country’s situation, many people use cement roof tiles. Our government also uses a great deal of cement roof tile to rebuild houses for natural disaster-hit and resettled people every year. It is evident that cement roof tile users are normally poor people. The birth of the PVA fibre roof tile can provide a healthier environment for poor people, which could be seen a good chance for them to escape from poverty.”
Thu Hùng
from: Quan Doi Nhan Dan Online
