News Archive

Research was conducted in New Zealand by a team led by Associate Professor Terri-Ann Berry into the liberation of asbestos fibers by play-sand products during simulated children’s play. This was the first such research of its kind anywhere in the world. The findings of the New Zealand analysts were confirmed by their counterparts at a US lab: “90% of tested craft sands released asbestos fibres into the air during play activities. Some fibres met the criteria for respirability…This demonstrates that the potential risk from asbestos in the product can create a real risk from fibres in the air…” See: Determination of Asbestos Fibre Release Potential from Contaminated Craft Sand and Sand-Based Toys.

Temporary Fix for Asbestos Problem

Jul 29, 2026

On July 23, 2026, a spokesperson for the Hungarian Government announced a U-turn on plans to remediate asbestos-contaminated road surfaces in Western Hungary. Contrary to previous statements, the solution will not be a permanent one involving the removal of toxic road surfaces by specialist companies but a temporary fix which will see contractors pave over toxic roads. To access any of the 3 billion forints (€8.3 million / US $9.4m) allocated by the central government, eligible municipalities will have to comply with strict conditions. This reversal of official policy was criticized by Greenpeace and environmental campaigners. See: Asbestos Scandal: Government Chooses Asphalt Sealing over Removal.

Another Asbestos Recall!

Jul 29, 2026

One could have been forgiven for thinking that staff at the EU Safety Gate system had all gone on summer holidays after three weeks with no asbestos recalls. This came to an end on July 24, 2026, with EU Alert number: SR/02108/26 for Feel Better Buddy Voodoo Magic, a range of sand-filled figurine stretchy toys available in yellow, green, red and blue. The warning for this product was: “The toy could rupture and the filling of the inside could come out. The sand inside contains asbestos. Asbestos could cause cancer.” The toys were made in China. See: Alert number: SR/02108/26 Feel Better Buddy Voodoo Magic.

Acceptance of Global Asbestos Consensus

Jul 29, 2026

For years, Russian asbestos vested interests fought vociferously against the global consensus which held that the use of asbestos, an acknowledged carcinogen, could be harmful to human health. The Russian language article cited below seemed to accept this as a given – “asbestos was associated with the development of lung cancer, mesothelioma and other serious diseases… – in its discussion of emerging threats such as microplastics. See: Что станет новым асбестом XXI века? Учёные проверяют главные страхи человечества — от микропластика до соцсетей [What will become the new asbestos of the 21st century? Scientists are investigating humanity's greatest fears – from microplastics to social media].

Asbestos at Healthcare Centers

Jul 29, 2026

The July 25th article cited below revealed widespread asbestos contamination of multiple buildings which make up the public healthcare authority (ASL TO4) in Turin. According to Professor Liborio La Mattina, the author of the article, asbestos was present in roofs, floors, pipes, chimneys and mastics in hospitals, clinics, offices and psychiatric facilities. Although ASL TO4 officials implemented asbestos management plans there is, as yet, no asbestos eradication program. See: Nell'Asl To4 l'amianto è ovunque anche nelle nuove case di comunità. All'Ospedale di Ivrea si salvi chi può … [In the ASL TO4 health district, asbestos is everywhere – even in the new community health centers. At Ivrea Hospital, it’s a case of "every man for himself."].

Portsmouth, Asbestos Hotspot

Jul 29, 2026

A deadly legacy created decades ago by operations at Hampshire’s shipyards, factories, power plants and construction sites has resulted in an elevated incidence of asbestos-related male mortality according to data released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The new statistics categorized Portsmouth as an asbestos hotspot, as it had the fourth highest rate of male mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain between 1981 and 2024; another Hampshire town, Gosport, was ranked tenth. See: Hampshire city among south England's asbestos ‘death hotspots’ with lawyers campaigning for change.

Victim’s Verdict in Turin

Jul 27, 2026

Last week, Turin Judge Domenica Maria Tiziana Latella ordered Italy’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) to pay ~€200,000 (US$227,700) in compensation to the family of a naval mechanic and engineer who died of pleural mesothelioma in 2011. The deceased had been exposed to asbestos between 1971 and 1973 during his military service, some of which was spent on the naval school’s sailing ship, the Amerigo Vespucci. See: Ministero condannato per la morte di un marinaio dell'Amerigo Vespucci: personale non protetto dall'amianto [Ministry condemned for the death of a sailor from the Amerigo Vespucci: staff not protected from asbestos].

Asbestos Alert!

Jul 27, 2026

Following the news that asbestos-containing aggregates from Austria had been used to cover road surfaces in Western Hungary, warnings were issued about the health hazard posed by asbestos-cement roofing. The July 24th article cited below, which explained why asbestos exposures can be hazardous, recounted the pathways via which asbestos fibers can lead to various types of diseases and cancer. See: Veszélyes lehet a régi palatetod – Ezért káros az azbeszt az egészségre [Your old asbestos-cement roof can be dangerous – This is why asbestos is harmful to your health].

Medical Monitoring in Chungnam Province

Jul 27, 2026

From July 23 till July 30, 2026, medical staff from the Asbestos Environmental Health Center of Cheonan Hospital, affiliated with Soonchunhyang University, will conduct an asbestos health impact survey targeting residents of villages near the former asbestos mine in Jecheon, Chungbuk. The aim of the medical check-ups is to provide early diagnoses of symptoms of asbestos-related diseases so prompt treatment can be provided. See: 순천향대천안병원, 제천 폐석면광산 주민 건강 살핀다 [Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital checks on the health of residents at [near] the Jecheon abandoned asbestos mine].

Lung Cancer Screening in LA

Jul 27, 2026

A new program aimed at achieving early diagnoses of lung cancer in Los Angeles firefighters is expanding after the successful conclusion of a pilot project which monitored 250 firefighters. The reason for the program, which is being run by the Los Angeles Fire Department, is the long-term occupational exposures of this cohort of emergency workers to multiple environmental hazards including: asbestos, smoke, diesel exhaust and other toxins. See: New lung cancer screening program expands for LAFD firefighters.

Asbestos Prosecutions in NSW

Jul 27, 2026

Following a thorough investigation by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) of Australia, the company ANT Civil Pty Ltd. and its director Andrew Hughes were fined $335,000+ (US$234,000+) for illegally dumping 2,830 tonnes of asbestos debris on two properties in the rural town of Thirlmere, NSW in 2020. Three more pollution prosecutions against Mr Hughes are pending at the NSW Land and Environment Court. See: Asbestos dumpers fined more than $335,000 after contaminating Thirlmere property.

Asbestos in Schools

Jul 27, 2026

Three years after asbestos contamination was found in playing fields of the Redbridge and Bank View Schools in Fazakerley, Liverpool, decontamination work finally began last week. Hundreds of children from ages 5-19 attend these two special schools. The budget allocated by the city council for the remediation is ~£4 million (US$5.43m). The work, which will be carried out by specialist teams, includes: “the removal of topsoil across all soft landscaped areas of the entire school site and the replacement of this with clean, imported topsoil.” See: £4m scheme to clear asbestos from city school grounds.

Warning about Toxic Toys!

Jul 24, 2026

On July 20, 2026, the Office of Product and Safety Standards (OPSS) of the UK Government issued a warning to businesses regarding their responsibility to ensure that toys they sold were safe. They should not, the OPSS said, “rely on final product testing alone to assure the absence of asbestos in toys.” “Parents should,” said OPSS Chief Executive Graham Russell “be able to trust that the toys they buy for their children are safe. We know the recent recalls have caused concern, and that’s why we’re reminding businesses of their responsibility to understand and manage the risks in their supply chains.” See: Stronger asbestos controls needed to keep kids safe.

A Terrible Asbestos Legacy

Jul 24, 2026

Two stunning uploads on July 29, 2026 were about the deplorable plight of people abandoned in 60-year old asbestos-cement houses in Mauritius. The story these articles tell is one of government ignorance and intransigence, decades of human suffering and deadly structural deterioration. Taken together the two texts constitute a damning indictment of the arguments still advanced by vested interests that asbestos can be used safely under controlled conditions. See: Amiante : un risque diffus qui persiste, alerte Reeaz Chuttoo [Asbestos: a diffuse risk that persists, warns Reeaz Chuttoo], and Les murs qui tuent en silence [Walls that kill in silence].

Toxic Toy Scandal Grows

Jul 24, 2026

The Australian issue of The Guardian is keeping up the tradition which began with a January 24, 2026 article in the UK Guardian of breaking seismic stories related to the global scandal over asbestos-contaminated toys. The July 19th issue of The Guardian Australia was the first to report that assurances given to parents in widely broadcast public messages that “asbestos in play sand was low risk unless pulverised,” which had not been based on testing by national regulators, was both incorrect and intentionally misleading. See: Parents were told asbestos in play sand was low risk unless ‘pulverised’. But regulators hadn’t tested it.

Eternit Case Proceeding!

Jul 24, 2026

As a result of a crucial July 15th ruling by the District Court of Almelo in the eastern part of The Netherlands, a criminal case against Eternit – formerly the country’s largest asbestos conglomerate – will proceed. Eternit argued that the case should be dismissed because it was time-barred by the statute of limitations. Legal specialist Hendrik Sytema, whose argument found favor with the Court, disagreed: he said that as the limitation period began “from the moment of the death of the asbestos victim…” the case was still live. In its decision, the Court rejected the plea of prescription and ruled that the action by the Public Prosecution Service could continue. See: Leerstuk Verjaring [Statute of Limitations].

Quebec’s Asbestos Legacy

Jul 24, 2026

Ludovic Beauregard, Liberal Party candidate for the Quebec constituency of Lotbinière-Frontenac, last week criticized delays in the full commissioning of the Québec Central Railway, which are adversely impacting on the financial prospects of local businesses. Information needed to deal efficiently with the time-consuming problem of asbestos-contaminated soil – which was one of the issues covered in the $38.5 million 2022-2025 Quebec Asbestos Action Plan – was unavailable as the report was yet to be made public. “The government must,” he said “make the data of the Asbestos Action Plan public.” See: Gestion des sols amiantés: toujours aucune justification scientifique rendue publique [Management of asbestos-containing soils: still no scientific justification made public].

Whistleblower Wins Case!

Jul 24, 2026

After sacked London underground worker Micky Steeds won his case last week for unfair dismissal he said that he wanted “all tube passengers to know about the potential hazards his case has revealed.” According to evidence revealed during the tribunal hearing, London transport had failed to safely manage and adequately dispose of asbestos debris found in the underground system. Steeds documented multiple instances when he was provided with a proper protective mask. The asbestos training he was given came more than 18 months after he and his colleagues had begun cleaning asbestos-sheathed cables with stiff vacuum brushes. See: London Underground users should know about toxic dust risk, whistleblower says.

Will China Ban Asbestos?

Jul 22, 2026

The conclusion of the text cited below suggested that China is on its way to a phase-out of asbestos and that “the survival space of the asbestos industry is continuously shrinking.” Surprised at the robust opinion of the Chinese language article, internet research ascertained that it had appeared on the Canadian news portal 51.ca which is “the largest and most influential comprehensive Chinese media platform in Canada.” Having pointed out the obstacles delaying the imposition of increasing restrictions, the author urged the authorities in China to learn from the tragic experiences of European and American countries and take appropriate action. See: 被欧美60多个国家禁用中国却仍在大量使用 [Banned by more than 60 Western countries, China still uses it extensively].

Electrician’s Avoidable Cancer

Jul 22, 2026

Last year, a mesothelioma diagnosis upended the life of 48-year old Andrew Winder. There was little doubt that he had been exposed to asbestos at numerous workplaces: “I just started as a regular residential electrician and that’s where I think it happened: in Southland there’s hundreds of asbestos-lined electrical panels.” There was no asbestos awareness training and no information provided by employers. Mr & Mrs Winder are calling on the New Zealand government to step up efforts to prevent occupational exposures, in the meantime Mr. Winder is working with campaigners in New Zealand to raise the profile of this deadly killer. See: Asbestos-related cancer ‘preventable’.

News of Asbestos Prosecutions

Jul 22, 2026

A July 17, 2026 article reported on asbestos prosecutions in Australia, the US and Spain which saw convictions for defendants guilty of illegally disposing of toxic asbestos waste and failing to ensure safe workplaces. According to the text, yet another asbestos case was proceeding in the US brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General against the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which was accused of failing to adequately manage asbestos materials during work on a Boston bridge. See: Global Asbestos Failures Lead to Major Fines and Legal Action.

Compensation Fund for Asbestos Workers

Jul 22, 2026

On July 16, 2026, the Croatian Parliament adopted a bill to allow workers from Salonit – the state-owned asbestos-cement factory in Vranjic, Croatia which was open from the 1920s until 2006 – who had been unable to claim compensation or the descendants of deceased workers to receive the sum of €29,100 (US$33,200) in three annual payments. It is believed that the change brought in by this law will allow hundreds of workers who were exposed to asbestos at the factory for a minimum of five years between October 8, 1991 and February 14, 2006 to bring a claim. The money for the compensation comes from the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund. See: The Law on Compensation for Salonit Workers Exposed to Asbestos is Going to the Croatian Parliament.

Victory in Kyoto!

Jul 22, 2026

At a Kyoto press conference on July 17, 2026, it was announced that a settlement had been reached in the Kyoto District Court in a legal case for lung cancer sufferer Eiichi Kamitani against Nozawa, a building products manufacturer whose asbestos material had caused the claimant to contract cancer. The defendant agreed to apologize and pay an undisclosed sum in compensation. See: 京都アスベスト訴訟　肺がん発症の原告１人の和解が成立　建材メーカーがおわびし、解決金を支払う [Kyoto asbestos lawsuit: Settlement reached for one plaintiff who developed lung cancer; building materials manufacturer apologizes and pays compensation].

Victory for Szombathely!

Jul 22, 2026

Following an announcement made on July 16, 2026 that the Hungarian Government would remove 12 kilometers of asbestos-containing crushed stone from roads in the Oladi Plateau district of Szombathely, the Prime Minister Péter Magyar said he seeks another “urgent bilateral meeting with the Austrian Chancellor in order to take direct state responsibility and settle compensation.” Maygar told journalists that: “This can no longer be swept under the carpet.” See: Azbesztbotrány: Magyar Péter sürgosen találkozni akar az osztrák kancellárral – “Ezt már nem lehet a szonyeg alá söpörni” [Asbestos scandal: Péter Magyar urgently wants to meet with Austrian chancellor – “This can no longer be swept under the carpet”].

Asbestos: An Ongoing Hazard

Jul 20, 2026

The article cited below examined recent asbestos exposure incidents across continental Europe involving carpenters and laborers in Germany, members of the emergency services in the Netherlands and local people in Austria. Despite years of strict European Union regulations and mandatory guidelines, exposures to asbestos remain a reality for many at their workplaces, in their homes and from environmental sources. See: Hidden Danger: Unknowing Exposure to Asbestos Plagues Workers Across Europe.