News Archive

On October 20 & 21, 2026 campaigners from countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region gathered together at the 2026 conference of the Asian Ban Asbestos Network (ABAN) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The name of the event: “Seize the Momentum, Asbestos Ban Everywhere” aptly set the stage for what was to follow. According to colleagues who attended the conference, there was a high level of engagement by delegates with the presentations from ABAN colleagues from Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Timor Leste, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, Fiji and Australia. More information to follow!

See: Conference Banner.

Improving Occupational Protection

Oct 23, 2026

An October 20, 2026 upload detailed nine standards adopted by Ukraine for protecting the population from deadly asbestos exposures. The implementation of the new protocols for “collecting samples, testing construction materials and demolition debris for asbestos, and measuring the concentration of asbestos fibres in the air,” will more closely align Ukrainian practices with European requirements such as those stipulated in Directive 2009/148/EC on occupational asbestos protections. See: Ukraine adopts European-aligned asbestos standards to improve safety of demolition waste.

Mesothelioma Compensation: Update

Oct 23, 2026

On October 19, 2026, Minister Sir Stephan Timms led a parliamentary debate regarding reforms to mesothelioma and dust-disease compensation. The official policy reforms were originally presented to Parliament in September 2026; on October 19 in a Parliamentary Debate Minister Timms introduced the draft regulations which would “ensure that eligible dependents and bereaved families receive equal lump-sum compensation matching the full sufferer rate, effectively closing a historical financial gap.” See: Draft Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026.

Asbestos in Schools

Oct 23, 2026

On October 20, 2026, a committee of South Africa’s Parliament told the Department of Education of their concerns regarding the remaining asbestos contamination of 1,000 schools in the Eastern Cape Province. The Committee Chairperson Makhi Feni pressed the Department for a commitment to urgently address the health hazard posed to children and staff by the asbestos roofing and eradicate the toxic material at the earliest possible opportunity. See: Parliamentary committee presses Department of Education over uneradicated asbestos in schools.

Asbestos Roofing in Busan

Oct 23, 2026

Despite the introduction of legislation designed to end the hazard posed by the historic use of asbestos-containing roofing, 20,000 buildings in Busan, South Korea continue to pose a public health risk. In the article cited below examples were provided of deteriorating asbestos roofing in several Busan neighborhoods. Commenting on the situation Moon Seong-jae, Director of the Asbestos Center at Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital, said: “The best way to prevent asbestos-related diseases is to avoid exposure to asbestos.” See: 어린이집 앞 석면지붕 빼곡…소유주들 빈집 등 이유로 방치 [Asbestos roofs densely cover structures near a daycare center; owners leave them neglected, citing reasons such as the buildings being vacant].

Asbestos in Schools

Oct 23, 2026

Following public concerns over the health hazard posed to children and staff at Cascais Secondary School in the Portuguese city of Cascais, the local Council reported on October 19, 2026 that the remaining asbestos-containing material in the building would be removed on October 21, 2026. Increased safety measures would be put in place to prevent the liberation of asbestos fibers during the work. Most of the eradication work – which removed 80% of the toxic material in the school – was carried out previously. See: Câmara de Cascais retomou remoção de amianto na antiga escola secundária [Cascais City Council resumes asbestos removal at the former secondary school].

Asbestos Double Standards

Oct 21, 2026

An insightful article by Linda Mujuru, which appeared in the October 17, 2026 issue of the online publication “The Continent,” questioned why asbestos roofing was still being produced and sold for domestic use in Zimbabwe while only asbestos-free substitutes were being exported. Asbestos production ceased in Zimbabwe in 2010. The country’s largest user of imported asbestos is Turnall Holdings: “about 53% of its current range contains the material.” Medical experts and union officials in Zimbabwe are aware of the health hazard and there is some support from the Cement, Lime and Allied Workers Union for a transition to safer materials. See: Banned Abroad, Safe for Home.

Victim’s Victory in Apulia Region!

Oct 21, 2026

The Court of Lecce in the Apulia region of Italy last week ordered the Ministry of Defense to pay compensation of €138,000 (US$155,000) plus interest to the son of a sailor who died from pleural mesothelioma. The deceased had been exposed to asbestos during his service at the Taranto naval base and on board the ship Sagittario between 1958 and 1960. See: Amianto nella Marina Militare, condannato il Ministero della Difesa: 138 mila euro all’orfano di un militare napoletano [Asbestos in the Navy, the Ministry of Defense condemned: 138 thousand euros to the orphan of a Neapolitan soldier].

Update from Madhya Pradesh

Oct 21, 2026

An article in the October 17th issue of The Times of India detailed current developments in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (MP) in the wake of the asbestos scandal in Kymore. Questions were asked about the decision to send samples of potentially toxic soil from Kymore to the central laboratory of the MP Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) instead of testing them at the regional level. It was also reported that a private citizen had lodged a complaint with the MPPCB calling for an immediate investigation into the potential public and occupational health risks posed by asbestos contamination in Kymore and the surrounding area. See: MPs Kymore soil tests under scrutiny in asbestos case.

Asbestos Compensation Regime

Oct 21, 2026

According to the Belgian Minister of Social Affairs Frank Vandenbroucke victims of environmental asbestos exposures may, by the end of 2026, be entitled not only to access compensation from the national Asbestos Fund but also via legal action against guilty parties. As the situation now stands, accepting a payment from the Fund prevents a claimant from bringing a court case. See: Hervorming Asbestfonds: aansprakelijkheid voor asbest reikt verder dan de asbestindustrie [Reform of the Asbestos Fund: liability for asbestos extends beyond the asbestos industry].

Asbestos Failures on Jeju Island

Oct 19, 2026

On October 16, 2026, during a discussion about an administrative asbestos audit of social welfare facilities in Jeju, South Korea, members of Jeju’s Provincial Council were told about widespread failures of compliance. According to Assemblyman Yang Young-soo, multiple municipal authorities had failed to carry out mandatory inspections of daycare centers, nursing homes and welfare facilities for the disabled. See: 제주 복지시설 석면 관리 부실·민간위탁 운영 허점 도마 [Poor asbestos management and private outsourcing loopholes in Jeju's welfare facilities are under scrutiny].

Asbestos Diseases: Update

Oct 21, 2026

The text cited below is the 8th Report of Italy’s National Mesothelioma Registry (ReNaM) and is a result of extensive consultation among staff at regional operating centers and the National Mesothelioma Registry (ReNaM) of the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL). The aim of the new publication was to advance “scientific knowledge regarding asbestos-related diseases, support efforts to prevent all forms of exposure, and aid in the protection of those who have fallen ill, as well as their families.” See: Catalogo delle principali occasioni di esposizione professionale e non professionale ad amianto [List of the main occasions of professional and non-professional exposure to asbestos].

Building Asbestos Testing Capacity

Oct 19, 2026

It was announced on October 16, 2026 that as a result of a collaboration of the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and the Japanese Government, a new facility had been opened in Ukraine which had a transmission electron microscopy system that could detect asbestos contamination. The results of tests at the laboratory would “identify asbestos-containing materials at an early stage, assess associated risks, and inform decisions on safe demolition practices, the sorting, transportation, and disposal of contaminated debris, and determine whether other debris materials can be safely recycled.” See: Japan and UNDP open Ukraine’s first national laboratory for asbestos detection.

Asbestos Alert!

Oct 19, 2026

The case study referenced in the citation below detailed purchases from one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms in November 2025 of items described as heat-resistant gloves for indoor and outdoor use. The gloves, which were made in China, were acquired by two independent purchasers in Italy at a cost of ~€14 (US$16) a pair. Analyses conducted by electron microscopy confirmed that the gloves “were made almost entirely of chrysotile asbestos.” There were no warning labels either on the packaging or online about the presence of asbestos. See: Bought Online for 14 Euros: Lab Tests Confirm Asbestos in Gloves Sold Across Borders.

Victims’ Verdict in Bahia!

Oct 19, 2026

On October 14, 2026 news was circulated about a landmark ruling, handed down by the Brazilian Labor Court, which sentenced Novelis do Brasil Ltda. – formerly owned by ALCAN (Aluminum Canada) – to pay to R$20 million (US$3.95m) for collective moral damages in a public civil action filed by the Labor Public Prosecutor's Office (MPT) over occupational asbestos exposures at the company's plant in Candeias, in the Salvador Metropolitan Region of Brazil. See: Novelis é condenada em R$20 milhões por expor trabalhadores ao amianto [Novelis fined R$20 million for exposing workers to asbestos].

Addressing a Toxic Legacy

Oct 19, 2026

An October 12, 2026 editorial highlighted the serious public health issues posed by asbestos in France 30 years after its use was banned. Due to the country’s deadly industrial and environmental asbestos legacy, strict regulations – such as those detailed in the “Asbestos Technical File” – were implemented to minimize occupational, domestic and environmental contamination. Despite these measures, however, the general public should, the author wrote, be vigilant; if asbestos was suspected, a specialist should always be contacted to undertake investigation or removal work. See: PARIS: Santé publique – L’amiante, un ennemi invisible et toujours present [PARIS: Public Health – Asbestos, an invisible and ever-present enemy].

Asbestos Nightmare in North Brabant

Oct 19, 2026

A fire which destroyed a shed in 2024 created an asbestos nightmare for the family which owned the structure. After years of argument and counterargument, the matter was considered on September 30, 2026 by Holland’s State Secretary Annet Bertram. Despite assurances by local authorities that all the asbestos removal work had been done properly, the owners presented a new report which confirmed the presence of asbestos “at all investigated locations that visually originated from the fire.” On October 14, a Ministry spokesperson said the matter was under investigation. See: Terrein ligt vol asbest maar Den Haag krijgt te horen dat alles volgens het boekje ging [The site is full of asbestos, but The Hague is told that everything was done by the book].

Asbestos Issues in the 21st Century

Oct 19, 2026

An article by Italian academics Alessandro Francesco Gualtieri and Alessandro Cavallo was uploaded on October 14, 2026 to the website of the peer-reviewed open-access medical journal Environmental Health. The authors argued that “Asbestos should no longer be viewed as a legacy hazard but as an evolving global risk sustained by economic globalization, regulatory inconsistency, and technological change.” Their thoughtful paper was insightful and wide-ranging considering multiple aspects such as evolving supply-chains, gaps in regulatory frameworks and changes in transnational purchasing practices. See: Banned here, sold elsewhere: globalization, e-commerce and the continuing circulation of asbestos-containing products.

Asbestos Contamination: Update

Oct 15, 2026

On October 9, 2026 questions were asked in the Madhya Pradesh [MP] State assembly, the State’s legislature, by assembly leader of the opposition Umang Singhar about the government’s inaction over widespread asbestos contamination in Kymore and the Kalhara areas of the Katni district. He demanded that: an independent pollution survey be commissioned, on-site medical screening be provided for local people and long-term treatment plans for injured residents be implemented. See: Congress raises asbestos pollution issue in MP’s Kymore, seeks independent probe.

Landmark Ruling in Paris

Oct 15, 2026

A precedent was set on September 17, 2026 when the Paris Court of Appeal ruled that the French railway network (SNCF) had failed in its safety obligations to its workers. As a result, 39 employees from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region who were occupationally exposed to asbestos will be paid €8,000 (US$8,900) compensation for contracting asbestos anxiety. A spokesperson for the company said that an appeal to the Supreme Court was being considered. See: SNCF Réseau: la filiale condamnée pour avoir insuffisamment protégé ses salariés à l'amiante [SNCF Réseau: the subsidiary condemned for failing to adequately protect its employees from asbestos].

Queensland Asbestosis Precedent

Oct 15, 2026

A former plumber from Mackay, Queensland was awarded compensation of Australian $1.9 million (US$1.3m) for toxic conditions he experienced between the mid-1960s and 1990s whilst employed by the Queensland government's Mackay Harbour Board, now called the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited. Medical experts for Robin Smith, who contracted asbestosis, told the court the claimant has a life expectancy of 5-6 years. This verdict set a precedent in Queensland. See: Dying Queensland man wins landmark $1.9m asbestosis compensation claim.

Updated Clinical Guidance

Oct 15, 2026

The project report cited below was uploaded this month (October 2026), to the website of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The multinational working group of medical experts which authored the paper was tasked with designing “clinical practice recommendations for the detection and monitoring of non-malignant asbestos-related diseases in asbestos-exposed populations within the Colombian healthcare system.” The researchers advised that Chest X-rays with ILO classification be used as the primary screening tool for at-risk cohorts. See: Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations for Non-Malignant Asbestos-Related Diseases in an Asbestos-Exposed Population: An Evidence-to-Decision Framework.

New Sichuan Holiday Destination?

Oct 15, 2026

An article uploaded on October 11, 2026 to a digital online newspaper based in Hong Kong announced the development of a new holiday destination in China’s Sichuan Province. The popular tourist attraction and 57- room hotel were built around a former chrysotile (white) asbestos mining site. Key elements from the area’s industrial heritage remain in place including a huge gateway with the words “Sichuan Provincial Asbestos Mine” written at the top to remind visitors of the “mine’s golden era.” The site receives 45,000 visitors a year. See: Sichuan county transforms abandoned factories into hotels, cultural hubs.

Asbestos on the Beach

Oct 15, 2026

After asbestos contamination had been discovered at a popular beach in Adelaide earlier this month, a public alert was issued. According to information from Onkaparinga City Council, asbestos-containing materials were detected at the fisherman’s caves on Seaford beach during an investigation by personnel from SafeWork SA, “the official workplace health and safety regulator for the state of South Australia.” After an independent contractor confirmed the find, the Council erected signs advising people not to enter the caves. See: Asbestos detected at popular Adelaide beach.

NHRC’s Action on Asbestos

Oct 14, 2026

It was reported on October 10, 2026, that India’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had ordered the Chief Secretary of the State of Madhya Pradesh to undertake work on a comprehensive report about the continuing asbestos contamination in the environs of an asbestos factory in Kymore. Production at the site that began in 1934, originally by the British asbestos conglomerate Turner & Newall, continues to this day under different ownership. There is widespread asbestos contamination at landfill sites as well as in public and private spaces. According to a statement by the NHRC Indians had “a right to life, health and a safe environment.” See: NHRC seeks report from MP govt on Kymore asbestos contamination.