DOROUD, Lorestan Province The deputy head of Iran's Department of the Environment said Sunday that all plants using asbestos in their products have to find a replacement for the material in five years, otherwise, he said, they would be shut down.

Yousef Hojjat told IRNA that considering the fact that using asbestos fibers in a plant causes severe contamination in the plant and the peripheral areas, no factory would have the right to use this technology after five years from the ratification of the law bill.

"In case of detection of violation, the plant authorities would be prosecuted according to the regulations, in addition to shutting down of their facilities," he warned.

He described the asbestos-cement producing facility in Doroud among the most contaminated plants in the country and added that, unfortunately, safety and health regulations are not observed in this plant at all and this has caused contamination of the plant itself and the surrounding areas.

Asbestos, as being the raw material of the asbestos-cement plants is like a lethal poison that would endanger the lives of all workers and citizens living around the plant if it is not used according to the related standards, he said.

He explained that asbestos enters the lungs by inhalation and causes lung cancer and reiterated that unfortunately the plant in Doroud does not observe safety regulations in packing and transport of asbestos bags.

Hojjat said that the cement factory in Doroud has turned this town into one of the most polluted towns in the country during the past 40 years.

At the present, No.1 and 2 furnaces of unit No.1 of this plant are shut down because of being worn out and creating much pollution, he added.

He also added that during the visit last year the plant authorities undertook to bring down the pollution level of the plant up to the standard level within one year.

Fortunately, they have performed an outstanding and environmentally acceptable job in this relation.

He said that the level of pollution and outlet particles from the plant chimneys had been over 800mg in cubic meter, while this figure has been reduced to 150mg, thanks to the continuous efforts and attention of the plant authorities.