Neighbor puts ban on Turkish cement imports
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 02, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Turkey’s neighbor Bulgaria has banned cement imports from Turkey over claims that the products include highly carcinogenic material.
Turkish cement "threatens both construction workers and those that use the buildings," Milliyet newspaper quoted Vladimir Stariradev, chairman of the Bulgaria Cement Industry Association, as saying.
Responding to claims, the Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association, or TÇMB, said Turkish cement is totally compatible with European Union standards and has the relevant certificates.
On May 29, Bulgaria’s Economy Ministry said the Meteorology and Technical Research Association of the country ordered a halt to "dangerous" Turkish cement exports.
The Bulgaria Cement Industry Association, meanwhile, blamed the government for permitting cement imports from Turkey, announcing it will take the issue to the European Commission.
In a written statement, TÇMB said the allegations are unfounded and unfair. "The stories are totally untrue," the statement said and added: "The Turkish cement sector has obtained documents from all relevant bodies within the EU. Cement standards of Western Europe are also the standards of Turkey. "
There is no carcinogenic material in Turkish cement, as Chrome 6 is not such a material. Chrome 6 can only cause eczema in case of contact with water and eczema cannot be correlated with cancer."
Two years ago, TÇMB and Turkey’s Atomic Energy Agency jointly conducted a nationwide research on uranium, thorium and potassium concentration activity , the statement said. "The results showed that allegations of carcinogenic material in Turkish cement are unfounded. Radioactivity rates of building materials produced in Turkey are much less than those produced in countries such as Germany, Sweden, Israel, Greece and Australia." TÇMB President Oğuz Tezmen linked the ban to the competitiveness of Turkish cement. "They want to protect their market," he said.
Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, a TÇMB official said the association has informed the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade and in turn, the Undersecretariat will inform EU officials. "Bulgarians are trying to protect their market. Still, Turkish cement exports to Bulgaria are very low."
Responding to claims, the Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association, or TÇMB, said Turkish cement is totally compatible with European Union standards and has the relevant certificates.
On May 29, Bulgaria’s Economy Ministry said the Meteorology and Technical Research Association of the country ordered a halt to "dangerous" Turkish cement exports.
The Bulgaria Cement Industry Association, meanwhile, blamed the government for permitting cement imports from Turkey, announcing it will take the issue to the European Commission.
In a written statement, TÇMB said the allegations are unfounded and unfair. "The stories are totally untrue," the statement said and added: "The Turkish cement sector has obtained documents from all relevant bodies within the EU. Cement standards of Western Europe are also the standards of Turkey. "
There is no carcinogenic material in Turkish cement, as Chrome 6 is not such a material. Chrome 6 can only cause eczema in case of contact with water and eczema cannot be correlated with cancer."
Two years ago, TÇMB and Turkey’s Atomic Energy Agency jointly conducted a nationwide research on uranium, thorium and potassium concentration activity , the statement said. "The results showed that allegations of carcinogenic material in Turkish cement are unfounded. Radioactivity rates of building materials produced in Turkey are much less than those produced in countries such as Germany, Sweden, Israel, Greece and Australia." TÇMB President Oğuz Tezmen linked the ban to the competitiveness of Turkish cement. "They want to protect their market," he said.
Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, a TÇMB official said the association has informed the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade and in turn, the Undersecretariat will inform EU officials. "Bulgarians are trying to protect their market. Still, Turkish cement exports to Bulgaria are very low."