1. Worldwide asbestos supply and consumption trends from 1900 to 2000;Virta,2003
2. The top producers in 2003 were: Brazil (195,000tonnes), Canada (241,000tonnes), China (260,000tonnes), Kazakhstan (353,000tonnes), Russia (878,000tonnes).
3. Global use of asbestos and the incidence of mesothelioma;Tossavainen;Int J Occ Env Health,2004
4. According to the USGS, US consumption of asbestos was 4650metric tonnes in 2003. A decrease from 6850metric tonnes in 2002. Consumption in 2003 was less than 0.6% of the amount used in 1973, the peak year for US asbestos usage. For a list of countries, which have banned asbestos, see: www.ibas.btinternet.co.uk.
5. In December 1991, the leaders of the Republic of Belarus, Russian Federation and Ukraine eatsblished the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); at present the CIS unites: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.