News Archive

On November 5, 2026, the Times of India reported that an alert had been raised over the use of rangoli powder during Diwali celebrations, following a series of recalls of asbestos-contaminated sand products in many countries. So far in 2026, five rangoli products sold in New Zealand had been recalled due to discoveries of asbestos contamination. The article cited below included health advice from multiple doctors in Bangalore, Karnataka State advising parents to minimize the creation of dust when handling rangoli and to minimize children’s exposure. See: Asbestos found in rangoli products abroad; Bengaluru doctors advise caution.

Victim’s Victory in Campania

Nov 11, 2026

A court in Naples, Italy issued a victim’s verdict in a case brought by an asbestos-injured worker from the Sacelit asbestos-cement (AC) factory in Volla, a city near Naples, against Italy’s National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL). The Court ordered INAIL to pay compensation to the claimant who was diagnosed with pleural plaques after more than 20 years service at the Sacelit plant where he was involved in the production of AC pipes, slabs, joints etc. See: Ex operaio ottiene indennizzo per la malattia professionale da amianto [Former worker obtains compensation for asbestos-related occupational disease].

Naturally Occurring Asbestos in NSW

Nov 11, 2026

The serious concerns of residents in Orange City – in the Central West region of New South Wales (NSW), Australia – regarding the health hazard posed by naturally occurring asbestos (NOA), were conveyed to the local council in letters by their legal advisors. In 2025, asbestos was discovered in local road materials. According to Len Elliott, asbestos from the unsealed road in front of his home is brought “into the house, it’s on our clothes, circulates in our air conditioning,..” Commenting on the letters, a council spokesperson said: “given concerns raised by residents, Council will review the matter and have advised residents’ legal representatives of that review.” See: Naturally occurring asbestos concerns for unsealed roads near Orange.

Improving Workers’ Protection

Nov 11, 2026

On November 5, 2026 a Decree was published in Greece (67/2026) entitled: “Protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work.” The legislation brought Greece into alignment with EU Directive 2009/148/EC and the amending EU Directive 2023/2668. The objective of the stricter regulations for the “identification of hazardous materials, their safe removal, the systematic monitoring of workers' health and the implementation of stricter control measures” was to reduce future levels of occupational asbestos exposures. See: Νέο θεσμικό πλαίσιο για προστασία εργαζομένων από αμίαντο - Οι 7 βασικές αλλαγές [New institutional framework for the protection of workers from asbestos - The 7 main changes].

Asbestos Remediation

Nov 11, 2026

Pursuant to the national policy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the eradication of products containing asbestos remains ongoing. In the first half of 2026, ~50 tonnes of asbestos-containing material was removed by licensed contractors, packaged and disposed of as per national regulations. Most of the 96 contaminated sites remediated were in the Al Dhafra Region, one of three Municipal regions in the UAE. According to the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport the decontamination work was part of UAE’s “efforts to strengthen public health protection and safeguard the environment.” See: Abu Dhabi removes 49.8 tonnes of asbestos waste in six months.

Medical Surveillance Program

Nov 11, 2026

South Koreans living in the City of Miryang in South Gyeongnam Province will be able to access free medical examinations on November 21 and 22, 2026 if they have a significant history of occupational or environment asbestos exposures. The screening will be conducted at the Asbestos Environmental Health Center at Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital in collaboration with the local authorities, in accordance with the Asbestos Damage Relief Act. See: 밀양시, 석면 건강영향조사 무료 검진 실시 [Miryang City Conducts Free Screenings for Asbestos Health Impact Assessment].

Asbestos Alert: Rangoli Powder

Nov 9, 2026

An exclusive exposé was uploaded on November 7, 2026 to the website of Counterview – “an independent, open-forum Indian digital news and opinion blog focused on alternative perspectives, grassroots reporting, and critical commentary” – which detailed the shocking results of research into Rangoli powder. According to an accredited laboratory in South Korea, 60% of the samples of rangoli powder sourced from India, Malaysia and England were contaminated with tremolite asbestos, a Group 1 carcinogen. See: Asbestos found in 60% rangoli powder tested in India, Malaysia, England: Civil society sounds alert.

Asbestos Alert in Vranjic!

Nov 9, 2026

On November 4, 2026, Croatian MP Dušica Radojcic, her constituents and members of her political party – We Can! (Možemo!) – urged the Government to take immediate action regarding asbestos contamination found on Kosica beach in the village of Vranjic, near Split. According to the MP: “The state must take responsibility for the safety and health of its residents. The area should be urgently remediated with public money, regardless of whether it is a private company, and the costs should then be collected from those deemed responsible.” In this case, it’s believed that the blue asbestos debris originated from a local asbestos-cement factory formerly owned by Salonit. See: Dangerous blue asbestos washed up from the sea in Vranjic: activists demand urgent state response and new remediation of Salonita.

Asbestos at Olympic Venue

Nov 9, 2026

People living near a construction site earmarked for the Brisbane 2032 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Olympic stadium continue to raise the alarm about contamination discovered by contractors in September. According to posts by a community advocacy group, the monthly updates issued by the Games independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority did not include any mention of an asbestos discovery even though a local person reported the presence of a yellow asbestos hazard warning tape closing off a large section of the site. The campaigners said it was vital that steps be taken to protect members of the public as well as workers from the asbestos hazard unearthed, identified in Victoria Park. See: Contaminated materials at Brisbane Olympic stadium spark community fears.

Asbestos in Parliament

Nov 9, 2026

The history of the asbestos contamination of the UK’s Parliamentary estate is a sorry tale. Despite being one of the most extensively surveyed properties in the country, a new survey reported that previously unidentified sites of contamination had been found. Information obtained through a Freedom of Information request, revealed that since 2001, 500 new items of asbestos contamination had been located “during surveys in preparation for the long-awaited refurbishment of the estate, a project that could cost up to £40bn and take 61 years.” See: Westminster's asbestos finds expose the gaps in building surveys.

Importance of Occupational Histories

Nov 9, 2026

A peer-reviewed case study written by Moroccan researchers which was uploaded on October 26, 2026 to the website of The Cureus Journal of Medical Science discussed the occupational history of a patient whose military service as a mechanic represented “a potential source of remote occupational asbestos exposure.” Combining the patient’s occupational history with the CT results enabled a diagnosis of asbestos-related pleural plaques to be made. See: A Legacy Written in the Pleura: CT Findings Suggestive of Asbestos Exposure.

Hong Kong & Basel Conventions

Nov 9, 2026

The areas of disconnection between the Hong Kong Convention, which entered into force on June 26, 2025, and the 1989 Basel Convention remain a source of controversy. The article cited below highlighted the uncertainty for shipowners and regulators caused by the inconsistencies which exist. Even if a ship has all the mandatory certificates, there is no knowing where the asbestos on-board “will end up, whether workers will breathe toxic dust, or whether contaminated water will reach neighbouring communities.” See: HKC and Basel: Two Conventions, One Ship, And a Shared Way Forward.

Justice for Bereaved Families!

Nov 6, 2026

An October 31, 2026 press release from the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that as a result of reforms introduced by the Labour Government a glaring injustice had been ended following the introduction of regulations to equalize payments received by eligible dependents and bereaved families to compensation provided to sufferers of asbestos-related diseases. It was estimated that as a result of the changes, ~300 families would benefit every year. Similar changes are expected in Northern Ireland. See: Asbestos compensation injustice ended for bereaved families.

Educational Initiative in Lombardy

Nov 6, 2026

On October 30, 2026 a proposal for an educational multimedia asbestos project was explained to members of the Provincial Council of Lecco, Italy. The objectives of the project – entitled Asbestos Killer Squad – Gen Z: Future Mission – included: raising awareness of the asbestos hazard; educating students about fake news; and developing digital skills to allow participants to produce content capable of communicating with their peers. See: Amianto Killer Squad: gli studenti diventano reporter sui temi di della salute, dell'ambiente e della sicurezza [Asbestos Killer Squad: students become reporters on health, environmental and safety issues].

Asbestos in the Underground

Nov 6, 2026

On October 28, 2026, hearings began in a landmark case regarding the legal duty of a Spanish company to take active measures to protect workers from asbestos exposures. The case was brought by the family of a man who died in 2019 from pleural mesothelioma after having worked for Ferrocarril Metropolità de Barcelona, SA (FMB) – “the public railway company that operates the majority of the subway lines for the Barcelona Metro network – from 1988 until 2008. See: El Metro de Barcelona afronta un juicio pionero por la muerte de un trabajador expuesto al amianto [Barcelona Metro faces a landmark trial over the death of a worker exposed to asbestos].

FIVA Update

Nov 6, 2026

On October 28, 2026, France’s Asbestos Victims' Compensation Fund (FIVA) announced that since it was set up in 2001, 117,000+ victims and family members had applied to the Fund, including 2,745 in 2025. The vast majority of the claims submitted (85%) are approved. Over the last 24 years, FIVA had paid ~€8 billion (US$8.9 bn) in compensation to eligible applicants. FIVA’s financing is from the occupational accidents and diseases branch of the French Social Security system. See: Amiante: 30 ans après son interdiction, indemniser les victimes reste un défi [Asbestos: 30 years after its ban, compensating victims remains a challenge].

Economic Impact Assessment of Asbestos Ban

Nov 6, 2026

A series of meetings which took place between October 26 and 28, 2026 brought together key decision-makers from Laos – including the Deputy Minister of Health for Laos Dr. Vannasay Satthakoun, representatives from the Ministry of Health, the University of Health Sciences and relevant health departments and hospitals – and Australian representatives of the Asbestos and Silicia Safety Agency (ASSEA) and Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA. The purpose of these meetings was to progress attempts to eliminate asbestos-related diseases in Laos. Pursuant to this goal, a newly released Economic Impact Assessment of Phasing out Asbestos Imports and the development of a joint health project were discussed. See: Lao Deputy Health Minister Meets ASSEA Delegation.

Supreme Court Confirms Closure

Nov 6, 2026

On October 29, 2026, it was reported that the Supreme Court of Italy (Court of Cassation) had confirmed a ruling by the Milan Court of Appeal regarding the Taranto steelworks. In its 70-page decision, the Supreme Court agreed there was “a present and significant risk on the basis of the various pieces of evidence gathered” from the continued operations of the coking plants, blast furnaces and steelworks. As a result of this decision, the Tarranto steelworks will be shut. See: Former Ilva: Court of Cassation dismisses appeals – hot area operations in Taranto to be halted. Palazzo Chigi: we take note.

Toxic Sand Products Recalled

Nov 4, 2026

On October 29, 2026, the South Korean Agency for Technology and Standards recalled five children’s colored sand products following the release of disturbing findings reported earlier in the year by the Asian Citizens’ Center for Environmental Health (Eco-Health) in Seoul (see:“미술놀이 모래에 석면"...완구 등 48개 제품 리콜 [“Asbestos in art play sand”... 48 products including toys recalled]. The toys were recalled because of asbestos contamination. See: 대한민국 리콜 정보 [South Korean Recall Information].

Asbestos & Lung Cancer

Nov 4, 2026

On October 13, 2026, a paper published by a team of international researchers in Environmental Health – a peer-reviewed open-access medical and scientific journal – postulated that exposures to asbestos could be one of the causes of the increase in lung cancer rates in China, despite sustained reductions in smoking prevalence and improvements in ambient air quality. The coauthors recommended that: “a comprehensive asbestos ban represents an important long-term strategy to reduce the future burden of asbestos-related disease in China.” See: Asbestos exposure: a potential driver of rising lung cancer incidence in China.

Environmental Asbestos Contamination

Nov 4, 2026

A report presented on October 21, 2026 at the Asian Ban Asbestos Network 2026 conference in Malaysia detailed the results of an investigation carried out in Indonesia in 2024. The findings reported that many of the samples collected in Karawang and Cibinong near an asbestos-cement factory and in a former asbestos textile plant contained significant amounts of chrysotile (white) asbestos in dust, off-cut materials and/or debris. Cases of asbestos-related diseases were reported among workers from both facilities. See: Asbestos Investigation Report in Indonesia.

Illegal Asbestos Dumping

Nov 4, 2026

According to official data the illegal dumping of asbestos-containing waste material is an endemic problem throughout England, with an almost 14% increase in toxic tonnage flytipped in 2025. As per information from the Environment Agency, areas with the highest incidence of unregulated asbestos dumping were: Stratford-on-Avon, Basildon, Brentwood, Harborough, Castle Point, North Northamptonshire, Warwick, Tewkesbury, Stroud and the Isles of Scilly. See: Where Are England’s Asbestos Waste Hotspots?

Rangoli Warning!

Nov 4, 2026

On October 28, 2026, an urgent reminder was issued by the University of Auckland, New Zealand about the asbestos contamination of five Rangoli powder products recalled in New Zealand in June 2026. The warning was given in the run-up to Diwali, a Hindu festival, occurring this year on November 6-10, during which Rangoli powder is used to make decorative patterns in outdoor spaces and public areas. New Zealanders were warned to “immediately stop using the product,” should they have any stocks of the recalled Rangoli powder. See: A warning issued by the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Piedmont’s Asbestos Legacy

Nov 4, 2026

The article cited below included a recap of the historical, commercial and social importance as well as the health consequences for Italian workers and the environment of the operations at the Balangero asbestos mine. “Balangero has,” the author concluded, “become a concrete testimony of one of the great contradictions of twentieth-century industrial development: a natural resource that generated jobs and economic growth, but which left an environmental and health legacy destined to engage several generations.” See: Balangero, la grande miniera di amianto che ha segnato il Piemonte: cosa resta oggi e come procede la bonifica? [Balangero, the great asbestos mine that has marked Piedmont: what remains today and how is the remediation proceeding?]

Calls for Asbestos Ban

Nov 3, 2026

During the October 23-24, 2026 Jakarta meeting of the International Trade Union Confederation-Asia Pacific (ITUC-AP), calls were made for an immediate end to asbestos use in Indonesia. ITUC-AP General Secretary Shoya Yoshida expressed concern over excessive asbestos consumption in Asia, which accounted for more than 80% of the 1.3 million tons of asbestos used annually around the world: “Every year, more than 200,000 workers worldwide die from asbestos-related diseases. In fact, approximately 70 percent of all work-related cancer cases are caused by exposure to this toxic substance.” See: Lindungi Pekerja, ITUC-AP Imbau Setop Asbes [Protect Workers: ITUC-AP Calls for an End to Asbestos Use].