News Archive

Last week, the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) committed to “phasing out asbestos accommodation and offices at its camps and relocating personnel to safer facilities.” On June 23, BDF Commander General Mpho Mophuting told members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the BDF’s bases at Paje and Pandamatenga were contaminated with asbestos. It would take three years to dismantle and dispose of the toxic structures, he said. In the meantime, staff would be moved to temporary accommodation. See: Botswana: BDF to Phase Out Asbestos Camps.

More Asbestos Recalls!

Jul 2, 2026

There were EU recalls on June 23, 24 & 25 for asbestos-contaminated toys exported from China.

Alert number: SR/01892/26 – Kiddo world. Make your own Senzory Bin Construction Site. “The play sand contains asbestos fibres (measured value: 0.14% by weight).”

Alert number: SR/01814/26 – Figurines Stretch Monsters. “The sand inside contains asbestos.”

Alert number: SR/01852/26 – Funkee Monkee hairdo “The sand inside contains asbestos (measured value up to 2.05% by weight).”

Asbestos in Makeup

Jul 2, 2026

The insightful text referenced below reported disturbing findings from a new analysis of 8,810 talc-containing cosmetics. The items with the “highest potential risk for asbestos exposure” were powder products, especially eyeshadows and blushes in the following brands: Beauty Plus Global, Claire’s and Justice. Experts warned consumers to check product labels for the presence of talc as “talcum powder products in particular pose asbestos exposure risks... Liquid and cream products are less likely to make asbestos fibers airborne.” See: New study identifies the makeup brands with the highest potential asbestos risk.

Victim’s Victory!

Jul 2, 2026

The 2020 lung cancer death of naval lieutenant Salvatore Legnosecco was ruled to be caused by occupational asbestos exposure during military service, by a Court in Syracuse, last week. As a result, it was found that his family was entitled to benefits provided for victims of duty including “special donations and annuities in arrears for an amount of about 500 thousand euros.” The deceased, who was an electrician and then a chief electrician, joined the Navy in 1975 and left the service in 2017. See: Amianto: militare siracusano morto per un tumore, riconosciuto vittima del dovere [Asbestos: Syracuse soldier who died of cancer, recognized as victim of duty].

Disturbing New Data

Jul 2, 2026

At the annual gathering of South Korean asbestos victims on June 23, 2026, Kim Mi-sun, Secretary General of Yesan Hongseong Environmental Union, said that Chungnam is the area worst affected by asbestos-related disease: 30% of South Korea’s asbestos victims are in Chungnam; of the 2,633 people in Chungnam recognized as asbestos victims, the majority lived in areas near former asbestos mines; “the mortality rate for patients with grade 1 asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, and lung cancer exceeds 60%…” See: 석면 피해자 사망률 60% 넘는데... 병력 추적 관찰 필요 [Asbestos victim mortality rate exceeds 60%... Medical history follow-up is necessary].

Dr Singh’s Visit to Kuala Lumpur

Jul 2, 2026

Last month, the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Malaya hosted an academic discussion with Dr Raja Singh, a public health researcher with extensive knowledge regarding environmental determinants of health and the use of evidence-informed approaches to disease prevention, at its Kuala Lumpur campus. During the session, Dr Singh explained his research on asbestos-related diseases and, in particular, his development of a structured approach for obtaining the occupational, environmental and secondary asbestos exposure history of mesothelioma patients. See: Advancing Research on Asbestos-Related Diseases: Academic Visit by Dr Raja Singh.

Mesothelioma Treatment: Update

Jun 29, 2026

At a press conference on June 4, 2026, researchers from Hiroshima University, Japan announced that a new drug had been designed for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma which employed a type of microRNA naturally occurring in the body. By turning on an “aging switch,” the new drug suppressed cancer progression. An international clinical trial system is being established to conduct next-stage clinical trials. It is hoped that the therapy will gain approval from the Japanese Government in 2031-32. See: アスベストが原因?悪性胸膜中皮腫の治療に光広島大など安全性確認 [Asbestos-linked cancer? Hope for treating malignant pleural mesothelioma; Hiroshima University and others confirm safety].

Victim’s Verdict in Genoa

Jun 29, 2026

In a ruling handed down last week by a court in Genoa, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) was ordered to pay compensation of €500,000 (US$ 570,000) to the family of a worker who had died from the signature asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. During his military service, the deceased had been exposed to asbestos whilst employed as a boilermaker at the La Spezia military arsenal in Ligura, Italy. See: Amianto, muore operaio. Ministero condannato al maxi risarcimento [Asbestos, worker dies. Ministry ordered to pay maximum compensation].

Alarm over New Asbestos Proposal

Jun 29, 2026

On June 23, 2026, the Danish Parliament considered a proposal from the Danish Democrats to establish a training scheme so that “private individuals can remove asbestos roofs from their own homes.” Under the proposal, non-specialists would be allowed to take a course which would, once completed, provide them with “a limited, personal authorization to demolish their own asbestos-containing roof.” The motivation for this proposal is the rising cost of asbestos removal technicians. See: 3F’s byggegruppe: At lade private udføre asbestarbejde svarer til at køre over for rødt lys [3F's construction group: Letting private individuals carry out asbestos work is like running a red light].

Mesothelioma Clinical Trial

Jun 29, 2026

A clinical trial – SELECTmeso1 – run by a Leicester research team, under the leadership of Professor Dean Fennell, and collaborators in Southampton, led by Professor Gareth Griffiths, is investigating the use of a new personalized treatment for mesothelioma patients. The focus of the pioneering initiative is whether a targeted cancer treatment can improve outcomes for those patients with the MTAP genetic biomarker. The first patients for the trial have been recruited by staff at the Leicester Royal Infirmary; in due course, patients will also be able to access the trial at ten other UK hospitals. See: Finding the right target: Personalising treatment for an aggressive asbestos-linked cancer.

Asbestos Industry Tactic

Jun 29, 2026

The text cited below, which appeared on June 23, 2026 on the news portal of the Russian News Agency (TASS), reported yet another asbestos industry ploy to increase domestic asbestos consumption. According to scientists from the Perm National Research Polytechnic University, the use of chrysotile (white) asbestos fibers in road surfaces increased strength and longevity by 30-40%. There was no mention in the article that chrysotile asbestos had been designated by international agencies as a group 1 carcinogen. See: Найден способ замедлить разрушение асфальта на дорогах на 30-40% [A way has been found to slow down the destruction of asphalt on roads by 30-40%].

Government Whitewash?

Jun 29, 2026

A joint response by the Office of Product Safety and Standards, the UK Health Security Agency and the Health and Safety Executive was issued on June 19, 2026 to address the ongoing scandal posed by the sale of asbestos-contaminated toys in the UK. Once again, the Government asserted that: the “UK product safety framework provides a robust level of protection”; “in the UK there is a zero-tolerance approach to asbestos in consumer products”; “the presence of asbestos in a consumer product does not always mean there is an immediate danger to health.” Blah-blah-blah. See: Government response. Joint Statement on Asbestos in Consumer Products.

Trust Fund Betraying Former Workers

Jun 26, 2026

A stunning addition to the asbestos series undertaken by Confront Power – “an independent, not-for-profit investigative journalism platform” – revealed that less than 0.15% of the compensation paid by a Turner & Newall (T&N) trust fund had gone to the company’s former workers in Africa. T&N owned and operated asbestos mines and factories in South Africa, Nigeria, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia. According to recent data from the trust’s annual accounts “only 101 people from the region have received a total of £191,000 (US$253,000) in compensation.” See: Negligible compensation for Turner & Newall’s asbestos-exposed African workforce.

Sorry!

Jun 26, 2026

During “an act of recognition and redress” in the Catalan Parliament, President Josep Rull apologized to Catalonia’s asbestos victims for “institutional indolence” and asked for their forgiveness. The President said that Catalonia’s toxic asbestos legacy “continues to be a major public health problem and a first-rate environmental challenge.” A spokesperson for the victims said that extra resources were essential for a successful implementation of the planned eradication program. See: The Parliament asks for forgiveness from the asbestos victims in Catalonia.

Asbestos Handcuffs

Jun 26, 2026

The document cited below announced plans by the East Java Consumer Protection Foundation and the Indonesian Ministry of Industry to finalize agreements with the Russian Government which would lock Indonesia into many more years of asbestos consumption via importation of Russian fiber to enable the continued production of asbestos-containing materials for domestic use. Memorandums of Understanding will be signed by officials at a trade exhibition – INNOPROM 2026 – in Yekaterinburg, Russia in July, 2026. See: Akselerasi Riset Krisotil Asbes: Indonesia Bidik Kerja Sama Strategis di INNOPROM 2026 [Accelerating Chrysotile Asbestos Research: Indonesia Targets Strategic Partnership at INNOPROM 2026].

Asbestos in Wind Turbines

Jun 26, 2026

Following an investigation by The Times newspaper, it was revealed last week that asbestos-containing parts were found in at least 1,000 British wind turbines. The banned substance was in lift and hoist brakes exported from China. Commenting on this distressing news Louise Gilmour, the secretary of GMB Scotland, said: “Our country banned asbestos decades ago because it was killing workers and their families, but we now pay for it to be ferried here from the other side of the world and then pay again to remove it?” See: Asbestos found in China-sourced wind turbine parts.

Making the Polluter Pay?

Jun 26, 2026

At a press conference on June 19, 2026, Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar reiterated his government’s expectations that Austrian citizens would be held to account for selling and transporting asbestos-containing stones for use in western Hungary. Despite an agreement to set-up a bilateral working group there had, Magyar said, been little progress in resolving the situation. He hoped that there would soon be joint announcements from the Hungarian and Austrian Governments “regarding the role the state and public institutions will play in resolving the situation.” See: Magyar says rule-of-law process nearing conclusion.

Use of AI in Mesothelioma Treatment

Jun 26, 2026

An article uploaded on June 17, 2026 to The Lancet website by researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute documented progress in diagnosing optimal individualized treatments for pleural mesothelioma patients (see: Development and validation of artificial intelligence-assisted volumetric response criteria in pleural mesothelioma…]. The use of AI technology enabled clinicans to “assess tumor response to treatments much more accurately… (and to) discover the lack of response much sooner than before… This not only provides certainty but also spares our patients unnecessary side effects and reduces health care costs.” See: AI model proves to be a heavyweight in tumor assessment: Mesothelioma patients and physicians benefit.

Victim’s Verdict by Supreme Court

Jun 24, 2026

Italy’s Supreme Court brought to a close litigation over the 2009 asbestos death of a railway worker, by confirming the conviction of the State Railways for having failed to prevent toxic workplace conditions which resulted in the deceased contracting mesothelioma. Between 1969 and 1971, the maintenance worker had been exposed to asbestos on railway engines, pipes and electrical systems without any protective equipment or clothing. See: Foggia: morì nel 2009 per esposizione all’amianto, risarcimento per i familiari di un ferroviere dell’officina grandi riparazioni [Foggia: died in 2009 from exposure to asbestos, compensation for the family of railway major repair workshop worker].

More Toy Recalls in EU!

Jun 24, 2026

Last week, the European Commission uploaded notifications to the Safety Gate website recalling three groups of toys which contained asbestos. Each of the items was made in China. They were:

Invincible Heroes Stretchy Toys [Alert number: SR/01814/26];
Stretch Squad Sand-filled figurine toys [Alert number: SR/01813/26];
Funkee Monkee hairdo toy from ORB Toys [Alert number: SR/01852/26].

The amount of asbestos contamination found was up to 3.23% by weight.

Asbestos at Nuclear Power Station

Jun 24, 2026

After a report of an asbestos incident at Scotland’s Torness Nuclear Power Station in March 2026, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) launched an investigation to ascertain whether workers were exposed to asbestos in a valve within the steam system. The ONR’s report concluded: “the material had been removed from a similar valve in 2024 but this had not been recorded, meaning those carrying out more recent work did not know of the risks.” The workers involved in this incident will be routinely monitored. See: Companies failed to protect Torness workers from asbestos – watchdog.

Victim’s Verdict in Bilboa

Jun 24, 2026

An appeal against an asbestos conviction by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) – “a Spanish multinational financial services company headquartered in Bilbao, with offices in Madrid” – was rejected by Social Court No. 5 of Bilbao. As a result, the ruling by the National Institute of Social Security that recognized the pleural cancer contracted by a former BBVA employee as a professional illness will stand. The claimant had worked for the company from 1960 until 1999. He was diagnosed with pleural sarcomatoid mesothelioma in April 2023 and died on July 24, 2025. See: Justice rejects BBVA's appeal and confirms a pleural cancer of a former employee as professional.

Asbestos Eradication Program: Update

Jun 24, 2026

Work is progressing under Croatia’s Waste Management Program to remediate the toxic asbestos legacy on the Vranjic peninsula. Decontamination work began in May, 2026 to remove ~60,000 cubic meters of solid waste in the coastal area of Kosice in Vranjic. The contaminated material was created by decades of production at the Salonit asbestos-cement factory. At a press conference last week, government officials said the eradication work would be completed by the end of 2027. See: By the end of 2027, around 60,000 cubic meters of asbestos waste will be cleaned in Vranjic.

OVAM’s Asbestos Certificate Scheme

Jun 24, 2026

In the four years since asbestos certificates for house sales or transfers for structures built before 2011 became mandatory in Flanders, 500,000 certificates have been issued. Considering that by January 1, 2032 all property owners in Flanders will be required to have these certificates and that there are more than 2.3 million buildings to be inventoried, much work remains to be done. A spokesperson for the Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM) expressed the agency’s concern about the existence of a “knowledge gap.” See: Vlaanderen rondt de kaap van 500 000 asbestattesten, maar 2,3 miljoen woningen blijven nog achter [Flanders passes the milestone of 500,000 asbestos certificates, but 2.3 million homes are still lagging behind].

Historic Victims’ Victory!

Jun 23, 2026

Last week, the Belgian Government approved plans to end the immunity from prosecution which had been enjoyed by asbestos defendants for decades. According to Flemish politician and campaigner Valerie Van Peel: “From now on, victims receiving compensation through the asbestos fund can also take legal action to hold companies like Eternit accountable… today, all those victims are finally getting their basic right back: the right to seek justice against the major asbestos producers, who continued to produce asbestos for years while knowing how deadly it was.” See: Le gouvernement met fin à l’immunité des entreprises de l’amiante: “Une injustice historique” [The government ends the immunity of asbestos companies: “A historic injustice”].