News Archive

Decades after asbestos mining operations ceased in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, in the north of the country, the health of residents remains endangered by asbestos contamination of local rivers and streams. Asbestos fibers from soil in and around the derelict mines contaminate run-off water and flow into the water sources, especially after heavy rains, in at-risk areas like Mafefe, outside of Lebowakgomo township. According to Mafefe residents “the water now looks cloudy in places or carries visible particles after storms.” See: Silent Killer in the Streams: Limpopo Village Exposed to Asbestos Contamination.

Poznan Project: Update

Apr 17, 2026

The April 3, 2026 article cited below reported residents’ concerns regarding the working practices of operatives undertaking renovation work at the Przyjazni Housing Estate in Poznan, Poland. According to the report, there was a visible lack of protective clothing and equipment and little monitoring by specialist supervisors. See: Jest skrajnie niebezpieczny i rakotwórczy. Azbest w Poznaniu nie zostal poprawnie zabezpieczony? "Pyl moze rozsiewac sie po osiedlu" [It’s extremely dangerous and carcinogenic. Was asbestos in Poznan not properly secured? “Dust can spread throughout the neighborhood”].

Asbestos Stops Work

Apr 17, 2026

The Swedish real estate company Signalisten announced that renovation work would be postponed on a building on Hagalundsgatan, a residential street in Solna, Stockholm, due to “an extensive discovery of asbestos.” Technical investigations and sampling carried out prior to the start of renovation work had underestimated the scale of the contamination. Asbestos removal work will be needed throughout the building. See: Signalisten avbryter delar av entreprenad på grund av asbest [Signalisten cancels parts of construction due to asbestos].

Illegal Asbestos Sales

Apr 17, 2026

In the article cited below it was reported that chrysotile (white) asbestos stones were being sold by a “specialist alternative shop” in Lillestrøm, Noway owned by Tom Ole Holth who claimed that they promote “honesty and sincerity” despite national and EU prohibitions. When contacted by the reporter, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Environment Agency confirmed that chrysotile was a prohibited substance under EU regulation REACH Annex XVII item 28. See: Selger forbudt, kreftfremkallende stoff over disk: – Finnes ikke farlig [Selling banned, carcinogenic substance over the counter: – Not found dangerous].

Scottish Asbestos Ruling

Apr 17, 2026

In a ruling by Lord Harrower in the Outer House of the Court of Session, Scotland the Court apportioned liability for mesothelioma contracted by a 56-year old retired labourer between two former employers. MCM Building & Civil Engineering Construction Ltd was ordered to pay 0.01% of the damages while Pyramid Joinery & Construction Ltd was ordered to pay 99.908%. The claimant had been negligently exposed to asbestos by both defenders but the exposure experienced between 1999 and 2003 during employment by the second defender (Pyramid) was substantially more than that during the 1.5-day period of exposure caused by the first defender. See: Outer House splits liability for asbestos damages between two employers by nearly 99.9 to 0.1 percent ratio.

Mesothelioma Research: Update

Apr 17, 2026

A paper published on March 28, 2026 by Danish and Norwegian researchers detailed their investigation of the use of checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) as a “diagnostic biomarker to distinguish pleural mesothelioma (PM) from non-neoplastic mesothelial cells (NNMC) in both cytology and histology specimens.” They concluded that CHK1 immunohistochemical assessment was useful in some PM cases but qualified their findings saying further research was recommended. See: Checkpoint Kinase 1 Protein (CHK1) as a Diagnostic Marker for Pleural Mesothelioma.

Toxic Toy Recalls

Apr 15, 2026

Last month, Malta joined the list of European nations which recalled from sale asbestos-contaminated children’s products in 2026. In mid-March, the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority alerted the public to the dangers posed by toys and similar products containing kinetic sand or decorative sand. Among the recalled products were: HTI Toys – Stretcherz Stretch Squad, Stretcherz Slammerz 4 Pack, Stretcherz Stretch Squad Toys Assorted Figures 4 Pack; Addo Play Ltd – Out to Impress Sand Art Creations, Out to Impress Creative Candles, Paw Patrol Sand Art Pictures; Paw Patrol Bumper Craft Collection; and Orb Funkee Sand Toys. See: Potentially Dangerous Toys Removed from the Market.

Government Remediation Grant

Apr 15, 2026

On March 31, 2026 Summer Lee, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, presented a check for just under $1.1 million to officials from the Monroeville Municipal Authority, Pennsylvania. The funds, which were part of the federal Community Project Funding, were for the replacement of ~10,000 feet of asbestos-cement water pipes, the majority of which were installed in the 1980s or before. According to the article cited below, the remediation work was required to improve safety, “reduce the risk of pipe failures and address health concerns tied to deteriorating infrastructure.” See: Monroeville receives $1 million to replace aging asbestos-cement water lines.

Satellite Mapping of Asbestos Roofing

Apr 15, 2026

A Rome-based consortium – called e-Geos – which secured a prestigious contract from Italy’s Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security plans to use cutting edge technology to update a national audit of asbestos-containing roofing throughout the country. According to e-Geos, “very high resolution satellite images and advanced classification techniques based on Artificial Intelligence algorithms” will allow it to update the national census of asbestos roofing on public and private buildings. See: Amianto, al via la mappatura da satellite sul territorio Italiano [Asbestos in Italy: Satellite mapping begins].

Seoul Asbestos Hazard: Update

Apr 15, 2026

The 50-year-old National Assembly building of the South Korean government contains asbestos which, officials say, is safe under normal conditions. But in exceptional circumstances, the hazard to building users increases. One example was disruption which took place during emergency martial law in December 2024. It is suspected that vibrations caused by the take-off of a military helicopter increased airborne levels of asbestos within the building. Medical experts and campaigners are calling for the immediate commencement of phased removal of asbestos from the building. See: [단독] 오래 상주할수록 위험…전문가들 “무석면 건축물로” [오래된 국회] [Exclusive. The longer you stay, the more dangerous it is… Experts call for “asbestos-free buildings” [Old National Assembly]].

Asbestos in Schools

Apr 15, 2026

On April 1, 2026, delegates to the four-day National Education Union (NEU) conference in Brighton were warned of the “ticking time bomb” of widespread asbestos contamination of the UK’s educational infrastructure. According to NEU executive member Sarah Vaughan since 2000, more than 300 teaching professionals died from the asbestos cancer mesothelioma. Unfortunately, she said “there is still no national removal plan and the government’s own survey doesn’t even record where asbestos is.” See: Asbestos is ‘ticking time bomb’ set to kill hundreds of thousands, NEU hears.

Asbestos Hazard in Ageing Buildings

Apr 15, 2026

An article uploaded on March 28, 2026 to the news portal of the Malaysian National News Agency highlighted the ongoing threat posed by the presence of deteriorating asbestos-containing products within the ageing Malaysian infrastructure. Having considered the problems caused by the use of multiple toxic products, Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Ashraf Abdul Rahman said: “Asbestos ceilings were widely used in the past due to their low cost, but they contain microscopic fibres that can be released into the air. When inhaled, they can cause serious illnesses such as asbestosis and lung cancer.” See: Ageing Buildings: A Silent Health and Safety Threat.

Call for Asbestos Ban

Apr 13, 2026

On April 2, 2026, officials from 44 Malaysian groups – including trade unions, labor federations, consumer organizations, environmental activists and other civil society entities – called on the Government to take immediate action to finalize national prohibitions on all asbestos use despite pressure from commercial lobbying interests representing asbestos vested interests. The manifesto’s conclusion was categorical: “Our fate and our health must be decided by Malaysians, for Malaysians. Leave no room for the asbestos industry to dictate our future.” See: Malaysia’s Public Health under Threat: Groups Warn vs. Foreign Asbestos Industry Hijacking National Phase-out.

EU Asbestos Recall

Apr 13, 2026

Another recall was issued by the EU’s Safety Gate, on April 2, 2026, regarding a children’s product which was contaminated with asbestos. The toxic children’s science kit was sold under the brand name: Playmonster and was called My Living Worm World. It was made in China and had been sold online throughout France via Vinted. According to the EU website: “The product contains asbestos fibres. Asbestos could cause cancer.” (The same product was recalled in the UK in February 2026 [see: Product Recall: My Living World Worm Kit (2602-0036)]).

See: Safety Gate: the EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products Alert number: SR/00980/26.

Mesothelioma Data: Update

Apr 13, 2026

To counter the epidemiological invisibility of the asbestos-related cancer malignant mesothelioma (MM) in Brazil, on April 1, 2026 Congressman Vicente Alves de Oliveira Junior, commonly known as Vicentinho, presented Bill 6265/25 to the Chamber of Deputies which would require laboratories to report confirmed cases of MM to the Ministry of Health. According to Vicentinho, more than 90% of patients die in under a year after being diagnosed with MM and many cases go undiagnosed. See: Projeto obriga laboratórios a notificarem casos de câncer associado à exposição ao amianto [Draft bill requires laboratories to report cancer cases linked to asbestos exposure].

Toxic Toys on Deputies’ Agenda

Apr 13, 2026

On March 31, 2026, a written answer was published by the Luxembourg Minister for the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism and the Minister for Consumer Protection in response to parliamentary question No. 3706 of February 27, 2026 submitted by Deputy Claire Delcourt regarding the sale of asbestos-contaminated play sand in Luxembourg and current controls on imported play sand products. The Luxembourg MP asked: "Does the government see a need for action at European level to tighten controls on imported play sand products?” This exchange was reported in a headline article in The Luxembourg Times the next day.

See: Luxembourg Parliamentary Question and Answer about sale of toxic play sand.

Asbestos at Windfarms

Apr 13, 2026

Early last month, it was reported that asbestos had been found in brake pads in turbines used on the Storhöjden wind farm in Kramfors, Sweden. On March 30, 2026 it was disclosed in documents released by the Swedish Work Environment Authority that the same contaminated products had been found in dozens of turbines at other sites: Vitberget, Ljungbyholm and Tomasliden; the owners of these facilities include multiple foreign investors. Asbestos was banned in Sweden in 1982 due to severe health risks. See: Affärsvärlden: Asbestos issues detected at multiple Swedish wind farms.

UMIST Liable for Asbestos Cancer

Apr 13, 2026

Lawyers representing a former employee of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), who contracted the asbestos cancer mesothelioma, reached a £400,000 (US$528,000) out of court settlement for their client. According to the plaintiff, he was not given any training or protection from asbestos exposures that occurred at UMIST’s Barnes Wallis Building: “No-one ever told us of the potential dangers involved…Leaks and falls resulting in [asbestos] debris were simply an accepted fact of life… Asbestos debris would just be left there, and we were expected to deal with it.” See: Asbestos-exposed uni worker gets £400k settlement.

Asbestos in Schools

Apr 10, 2026

According to data provided by the municipal authorities in Rome, asbestos contamination of the educational infrastructure is still widespread. At a recent meeting, Municipal official Daniele Parrucci told delegates: “there are 111 schools where asbestos is present and must be contained, with a total budget of 10 million euros.” There was, Parrucci said, an urgent need for more funds from the central government to enable a complete audit of all institutes, schools and centers of learning. See: A Roma ci sono almeno 111 scuole dove è ancora presente l'amianto [In Rome there are at least 111 schools where asbestos is still present].

First Toy Recall

Apr 10, 2026

On March 30, 2026, the Environment Agency of Gibraltar issued a general product recall notification regarding asbestos-containing children’s products to all businesses licensed to sell toys. Amongst the items listed were: craft kits and activity sets, sensory and science kits, sand and craft materials, and toys. Many of these items had previously been recalled in other countries including Stretcherz toy figures, Addo Play sand and craft kits, and multiple products sold under the label of ORB Funkee Sand brand. See: Toy recall issued in Gibraltar over Asbestos concerns.

Wittenoom on UN Agenda

Apr 10, 2026

On March 31, 2026 it was reported that at a side event of the 61st Regular Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Banjima Traditional Owner Johnnell Parker and filmmaker Yaara Bou Melhem made a presentation about the “historic asbestos contamination of tens of thousands of hectares in the Kimberley” on traditional Banjima lands in and around the former mining town of Wttenoom. At the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights, the campaigner and director were presented with the Vision for Human Rights Award for their work on the award-winning documentary Yurlu | Country. See: Banjima Traditional Owners take case to clean up Wittenoom to UN, receive Human Rights film award.

Senate Call for Asbestos Justice

Apr 10, 2026

On March 25, 2026, three Senators submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court regarding an action by a major US asbestos defendant – Georgia-Pacific – to evade liability for asbestos claims. Pursuant to a “corporate shell game,” Georgia-Pacific relocated “to Texas for less than five hours, offloaded its asbestos-related liabilities onto a shell company called Bestwall, put Bestwall into bankruptcy, and then claimed that Bestwall’s bankruptcy protected the entire Georgia-Pacific enterprise from accountability.” According to the amicus brief, the Court should take steps to prevent “the abuse of the bankruptcy code.” See: Durbin, Whitehouse, Hawley Call on Supreme Court to Reject Georgia-Pacific’s Attempt to Use a Bankruptcy Maneuver to Evade Accountability to Hundreds of Thousands of Asbestos Victims.

Another Toxic Recall!

Apr 10, 2026

Rappel Conso is the official French website listing recalls of dangerous or defective products. It is operated by the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF). On March 30, 2026, details of the 27th toy and/or playset to be recalled in France because of asbestos contamination were uploaded to this site. This product was sold between October 9, 2015 and July 1, 2019 throughout France at bookstores, supermarkets, hypermarkets and discount stores. According to the official notice, asbestos contamination was found in one of the tubes of sand. See: Rappel de produit pour des raisons de sécurité Ma Malle a Sable Colores [My Colorful Sandbox].

NSW Update

Apr 10, 2026

When it comes to the asbestos scandal that brought many Australian cities to a standstill in 2024, there was plenty of blame to go around. New South Wales (NSW) Environment Protection Authority announced last month that a deal had been reached with the John Holland company and CPB Contractors to pay $150,000 for taking asbestos-laced mulch to Rozelle Parklands where it was used for landscaping. The money will go to SafeWork NSW and will be used to train workers on the safe handling of asbestos. See: Infrastructure giant pays up after Rozelle asbestos-in-mulch saga.

Calls for Asbestos Ban

Apr 7, 2026

An important paper uploaded by Chinese researchers on March 11, 2026 in The International Journal of Women’s Health investigated the current occurrence of asbestos-related ovarian cancer in China and predicted future trends in age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), age-standardized disability-adjusted life rate (ASDR) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The coauthors concluded that: “The burden of ovarian cancer attributable to asbestos exposure in China has increased substantially and is projected to continue rising through 2050. These findings underscore the imperative for a complete ban on asbestos production and consumption in China.” See: Burden of Ovarian Cancer in China Attributable to Asbestos Exposure During 1990–2021 and the Projections Through 2050.