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On October 30, 2025 India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT) – a “specialized judicial body… to handle and expedite legal cases related to environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources – ordered that measures be implemented to reduce health risks and prepare for a gradual transition to asbestos-free materials in schools. The Court acknowledged the medical evidence which showed that exposures to asbestos caused cancer and stated that the use of asbestos in schools was grounds for “health and environmental concerns.” See: NGT stops short of banning asbestos roofs in schools; orders strict safety norms, gradual phase-out.

The area around abandoned asbestos mines in Sichuan, China has been rehabilitated, as part of an environmental project to widen the ecological corridor for Giant Pandas. The expansion of the Giant Panda National Park was possible after the rehabilitation of 245.22 hectares of contaminated land on which 41.958 million cubic meters of asbestos tailings were deposited. This toxic waste was created by operations at asbestos mines over several decades. See: 四川雅安废弃矿区的“新生”：智慧修复构筑生态走廊 [The “Rebirth” of Abandoned Mining Areas in Ya'an, Sichuan: Smart Restoration Builds an Ecological Corridor].

According to the Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA), the national program to remove asbestos roofing from public and private buildings has entered its final stage. The eradication work began in 2009 and, to date, has reduced the amount of asbestos roofing in place from 1.69 million square meters to 51,000 square meters. RHA spokesman Yusuf Sindiheba told journalists last week that: “By February 2026, we expect to have removed all remaining asbestos materials from government and public buildings.” See: Effort to eradicate asbestos roofing nears completion.

The article cited below described ongoing efforts by Democratic senators and public health advocates to clarify health and safety protocols put in place by the White House and its contractors to safeguard workers and members of the public from deadly exposures to asbestos, a substance which is believed to have been used in the construction of the East Wing. In a letter signed by three high-ranking US senators, the President was asked for information about the demolition work plan, the identity of the donors funding the project and details of the asbestos and lead paint abatement plans. See: Senators, advocates demand explanation on asbestos risks from East Wing.

On October 31, 2025, members of a coalition of civil society groups held a press conference – entitled A Wish for APEC – outside the building where international leaders and advisors were taking part in meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in Gyeongju, South Korea. The campaigners demanded an end to the dumping of Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, a solution to the climate crisis, and an end to the use of asbestos throughout the Asia-Pacific region. See: [20251031] APEC에 바란다 - 경주 캠페인 현장사진 [[20251031] A Wish for APEC - Gyeongju Campaign Site Report].

The asbestos-laden Italian ferry, the Moby Drea, which was deported from Croatia will now be allowed to stay in Taranto, Italy while asbestos removal work is carried out by the specialized company Ecologica. It is believed that 100 tonnes of asbestos are contained in the wall partitions in the ship’s cabins. The vessel is now owned by the Italian company: Med Fuel Bunkering which obtained authorization from the Port System Authority of the Ionian Sea for the remediation work to be carried out. See: Dopo oltre un mese sbloccata situazione nave Drea a Taranto: concessa banchina per bonifica dall'amianto a bordo [After more than a month, the situation of the Drea ship in Taranto has been unblocked: a quay has been allocated for removal of the asbestos on board].

The October 28, 2025 blog by Fernanda Giannasi cited below reported the latest disappointing development at Brazil’s Supreme Court (STF) which has, yet again, postponed the decision on a case regarding the unconstitutionality of a State law contravening the 2017 national asbestos ban ordered by the Court. On October 27, 2025 STF Justice André Mendonça declined to cast his ballot in the legal action and claimed that an additional review of the facts was needed. Five votes have already upheld the illegality of the Goiás State exemption which allowed asbestos mining to continue despite the STF ban. See: Amianto: André Mendonça pede vistas e atrasa processo pelo banimento, por Fernanda Giannasi [Asbestos: André Mendonça requests review and delays ban process, by Fernanda Giannasi].

Local Sardinian politician Giampaolo Lilliu has denounced the continued use of 9,000 kilometers of asbestos-cement pipes in the territory of Oristano. He demanded that the Sicilian authorities undertake an updated audit of the number and condition of contaminated pipes used for water delivery and analyze the quality of water supplied to islanders. See: “In Sardegna novemila chilometri di condotte in amianto”: gli ex esposti Areas rilanciano l’allarme [“Nine thousand kilometers of asbestos pipes in Sardinia”: former Areas exposed raise the alarm].

In the aftermath of the sudden demolition of the East Wing of the White House, news began circulating about the presence of asbestos in the demolished structure. The work had been ordered by President Donald Trump to clear the way for the construction of a massive new ballroom. Multiple critics have expressed concern over the lack of transparency regarding the planning for and permissions obtained for the President’s “vanity project.” Given the age of the East Wing, it is likely that asbestos was used in its construction. See: Trump’s crew may be spreading asbestos with unpermitted White House teardown: expert.

Residents from the Yorkshire town of Cleckheaton have grown increasingly frustrated by Kirklees Council’s failure to engage in a discussion about the environmental contamination caused by development work. Protestors have complained of asbestos, arsenic, lead and cyanide contamination which “has already resulted in negative health impacts.” According to an October 15 statement by Cleckheaton Against Harmful Development: “Despite repeated complaints, there has been no official testing inside homes, no professional cleaning, and no health screening or medical support for affected families.” See: Pressure grows on Labour council ‘silencing and abandoning’ residents facing toxic asbestos danger.

In a stunning judicial ruling, the Second Panel of the Regional Labor Court of the 6th Region (TRT-6) in Brazil reversed a lower court verdict and awarded a family compensation for the asbestos-related death of a construction worker, 45 years after he had been occupationally exposed to asbestos. The Court concluded that there was sufficient evidence about the deceased’s exposure to asbestos and that this exposure had compromised this worker's pulmonary system and caused his death. See: Segunda Turma do TRT-6 concede indenização por danos morais à família de trabalhador vítima de exposição ao amianto [Second Panel of the TRT-6 awards compensation for moral damages to the family of a worker who was a victim of asbestos exposure].

The paper cited below was published earlier this month in the Journal of Environmental Health by a team of researchers from Italy and Columbia. Data sourced from the Piedmont Malignant Mesothelioma Registry was used to analyze mesothelioma trends in Casale Monferrato, the epicenter of Italy’s mesothelioma epidemic. The scientists concluded that mesothelioma deaths will continue to occur in this location for at least 20+ years even though asbestos use was banned in Italy in 1992. See: The evolution of an epidemic: age-period-cohort modelling of mesothelioma in Casale Monferrato, 1990–2021, with projections to 2042.

Funding from international donors facilitated the removal of deteriorating asbestos roofing from the Don Bosco technical school and staff housing in Makuya, Kenya. The premises were used regularly by 1,000 local people, not only for educational purposes but also for community and religious activities When asked about the improvements, one school user said that the [eradication] “project has given us peace of mind knowing that all the students and staff are no longer exposed to hazardous asbestos.” See: KENYA: Don Bosco Makuya replaces school roof thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions.

Last week, the Dutch Labor Inspectorate warned that recent inspections had revealed that more than a third of the 18 certified companies responsible for post-asbestos removal inspections had failed to comply with asbestos removal regulations – resulting in buildings being declared safe despite the presence of asbestos residues. According to the reported data, there are ~80,000 asbestos inspections conducted in the Netherlands every year. The Inspectorate is considering measures to improve compliance rates. See: One in three asbestos inspection firms in the Netherlands are failing to ensure safety.

On October 21, 2025, activists mounted a protest in Seoul, South Korea, calling for an asbestos-free Asia Pacific and demanding that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) act urgently on Asia’s asbestos hazard. Commenting on the event, campaigner Choi Ye-yong said: “In a few days, APEC leaders will be gathering in South Korea for a series of high-level meetings culminating with the APEC annual summit… The continued use of asbestos is contrary not just to APEC’s core objectives but also to the human rights of every individual…” See: APEC 2차 캠페인 - 석면없는 아시아태평양 만들어라 [APEC 2nd Campaign – Create an Asbestos-Free Asia-Pacific].

Earlier this month, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported the latest developments in the sorry tale of Wittenoom, West Australia, a region despoiled by years of blue asbestos mining and milling operations. Wittenoom's traditional owners, the Banjima tribe, are preparing to sue the State government over widespread contamination in and around the 46,000 hectares which were the location of the now “disappeared” town. A new documentary: Yurlu | Country about the fight to reclaim this land was reviewed in the following citation. See: Wittenoom asbestos contamination prompts legal threat from Banjima traditional owners.

The furore had been building since mid-October over controversial plans by President Trump to demolish part of the White House to build a mega-ballroom exploded last weekend with almost universal negative media coverage. It was not only the speed of the demolition of the East Wing but also the lack of transparency over planning, safety protocols and private donors that were driving public outrage with more than half the Americans polled disapproving of the project. Many critics of Trump’s latest “vanity project” expressed concern about the apparent lack of health and safety protocols to deal with asbestos material which was almost certainly present in the structure. [Read full article]

In the run-up to November meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in South Korea, grassroots activists held “The Ban Asbestos from the Asia-Pacific Region” protest in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul on October 21, 2025. The event was organized by the Asian Citizens' Center for Environmental Health (Eco-Health) and supported by a variety of groups active on environmental and health issues. Commenting on the demonstration, Director of Eco-Health Choi Ye-yong said: “The continued use of asbestos in Asia is contrary not just to APEC’s core objectives but also to the human rights of every individual…. It is time for APEC and other regional bodies to do the right thing and mandate a regional ban on the use of asbestos.” [Read full article]

The news that the first UK toxic talc litigation by cancer sufferers was in the pipeline had been circulating for a couple of years. On October 16, 2025 this was confirmed when a class action began at the High Court in London on behalf of 3,000 plaintiffs who believed their diseases were caused by the use of asbestos-contaminated baby powder produced by the American pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J). Although news of the class action was reported in North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, the country with the most intense interest in the case seemed to be Russia, the world’s largest asbestos producer. Interested? Read on. [Read full article]

While much has been written about the deadly health consequences of the commercial exploitation of asbestos, the environmental damage done by asbestos polluters has, to some extent, remained unexplored. The mountains of carcinogenic waste and toxic debris left behind by asbestos profiteers continues to endanger the health of local people long after mining and manufacturing operations ceased. Photographs and text in this article describe multiple examples of the deadly contamination left by asbestos producers and manufacturers in North America, Africa, Asia and Australia. [Read full article]

The article which can be accessed at the link provided was written by Julian Branch, an outspoken critic of Canada’s failure to deal with the deadly legacy posed by the continued use of deteriorating asbestos-containing pipes to deliver water. The head-in-the-sand approach adopted by the authorities and public utility companies to the threat posed by ingested asbestos in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon and British Columbia seems to be validated by the lack of action taken by Health & Welfare Canada – now Health Canada (HC) – and the federal government. Branch detailed decades of missed opportunities and concluded with, considering the neglect shown to date, a possibly over-optimistic hope that a current reassessment of the situation by HC might bring improvements. [Read full article]

Recent developments in East and Southeast Asia have highlighted the continued importance of bilateral and multinational collaborations in the struggle to address national asbestos legacies. The exchange of information and the sharing of expertise remain essential tools in neutralizing the efforts of industry lobbyists who continue to actively promote the interests of asbestos stakeholders at national, regional and international forums. In the post-Covid era, there has been a resurgence of multinational collaborations as illustrated by developments in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Seoul, Korea; and Jakarta, Indonesia which are discussed in this article. [Read full article]

In her review of “Bad Dust, A History of the Asbestos Disaster,” published this month by Repeater Books, Laurie Kazan-Allen explained that the genesis for this work had been the mesothelioma death of Albert Popple, the granddad of author Tom White. As many other talented people before him had done, White harnessed his grief “to create a work of art that spoke not only of personal traumas but universal truths.” “Bad Dust is,” the reviewer explained “a well-written book which ponders important subjects.” This text will be of interest to people interested in the history of the asbestos tragedy as well as many more readers trying to grapple with wider 21st century issues such as the unending struggle for a sustainable future, corporate accountability and environmental justice. [Read full article]

In recent weeks, international groups have submitted key evidence to the Central Jakarta District Court which is hearing a case brought by asbestos vested interests, represented by the FICMA trade association, against individuals and groups that petitioned the Supreme Court for its endorsement of measures imposing mandatory warning labels on asbestos-cement roofing products. After the Supreme Court upheld this petition (2024), FICMA launched a ferocious legal attack on the petitioners claiming massive financial damages. This letter deconstructs one of FICMA’s principle arguments, namely that failure by the UN to list chrysotile (white) asbestos as a hazardous material supported industry propaganda that exposure to asbestos was “harmless.” [Read full article]

The high-profile participation of ministers and institutions from the Cambodian Government in recent activities in Phnom Penh designed to raise asbestos awareness and implement a transition to asbestos-free technology reconfirmed the Government’s commitment to ending asbestos use and building medical capacity to diagnose and treat citizens injured by toxic exposures. Opening the three-day conference: Improving Diagnosis and Response to Occupational Cancers: Asbestos and Dust Related Diseases Cambodian Health Minister His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra called for the country to prioritize inter-ministerial collaboration to establish frameworks restricting toxic imports and phase-out asbestos consumption. [Read full article]

The timely article by Professor Arthur Frank is a damning indictment of global failures to engage with the threat posed by the continued presence and use of deteriorating asbestos-containing products throughout national infrastructures. Such toxic substances contaminate our homes, schools, hospitals, vehicles, water systems and environment. Almost half the text of this new feature, dealt with the health hazard posed by the use of asbestos pipes to deliver water. The concluding words of this commentary were chilling: “it is alarming that increasing amounts of exposure and increasing findings of ingestion-related asbestos disease continue to be noted in the scientific literature, with little being done to either educate the public or to educate physicians about these risks.” [Read full article]

A new medical scheme was launched by Liz Darlison, from Mesothelioma UK, and Kim Brislane, from Australia’s Asbestos Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI) at an August 27, 2025 meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The initiative is a collaboration of Mesothelioma UK, ADDRI and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS). Welcoming news of the positive reception for the pioneering program, IBAS Coordinator Laurie Kazan-Allen said: “Asbestos-related diseases are notoriously difficult to diagnose. Experience has shown that building medical capacity of nursing staff can make a huge impact on the experiences of patients and family members.” [Read full article]

A recent analysis of global asbestos trade figures for 2023 revealed startling developments in four former Soviet Union Central Asian countries. While the world’s two biggest asbestos producers Russia and Kazakhstan consumed a mere 0.76 and 0.72 kilograms/kg per person that year, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan used a staggering 3.4 kg and 2.34 kg per capita and Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan 1.6 kg and 1.57 kg. According to an academic paper by scientists from the Kyrgyz Republic and Italy (2024), awareness of the asbestos hazard and asbestos monitoring capacity in all four countries are extremely low. [Read full article]

The headline of a front-page article in the Daily Mail on August 4, 2025 was as shocking as it was controversial: “Asbestos Kills More Troops than Taliban.” According to the first sentence in the hard-hitting exposé by Steve Boggan: “Asbestos killed nine times more military veterans than there were British victims of the Taliban during the Afghan campaign, government records reveal.” While a handful of other UK news outlets picked up this story, it was widely covered by the Russian media. This development was noteworthy as Russia, the world’s biggest producer of asbestos, continues to deny that asbestos exposures can cause cancers and other deadly diseases. [Read full article]

News that an asbestos-laden 50-year-old Italian ferry – the Moby Drea – was bound for Croatia in July/August 2025 was not well received by people living near the Brodosplit shipyard. The day after the ship arrived, hundreds of people turned up for a high-profile protest which was supported by NGOs and local politicians including the new Mayor of Split. Campaigners continue their efforts to secure answers to the very detailed questions raised by the seemingly illegal import of the toxic waste site that is the Moby Drea. The uproar in Split shows no signs of abating any time soon. [Read full article]

It continues to amaze me how each country needs to do its own research to reaffirm the deadly consequences of asbestos exposures. Newly published reports about the health hazard posed by airborne and waterborne asbestos fibers in Kyrgyzstan, Iran and Canada are typical. According to the texts of these academic papers: “a remarkable amount of chrysotile (white asbestos)” was found in the air and lungs of people living near asbestos processing factories; air samples taken in high-traffic areas had high to very high asbestos fiber concentrations; and samples from rivers in a former asbestos mining region showed “an increase in the concentration of asbestos fibers in the water and sediments.” [Read full article]

During the 20th century, a handful of multinational conglomerates controlled global asbestos production, processing, marketing and sales. For decades, the industry’s dominance of the asbestos agenda enabled it to off-load liabilities onto individuals, communities and governments. The price paid by the injured was horrific and the economic costs incurred were colossal. Recent political and legal developments in the UK, the Netherlands and Australia suggest that traditional corporate asbestos avoidance strategies may have been compromised. [Read full article]

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Demonstration in Woluwe Park, Brussels, 2006

Under cloudy skies, members of Belgian and French Asbestos Victims' Associations from Dunkirk and Bourgogne marched side-by-side in the third annual demonstration organized by ABEVA, the Belgian Association of Asbestos Victims. Erik Jonckheere, ABEVA's Co-chairman, condemned the government which still refuses to recognize the plight of the asbestos injured.

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