News Archive

On August 17, 2026, a new initiative was implemented in Mafefe – a former asbestos mining town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa; the local population is suffering from a “public health crisis caused by unmitigated environmental asbestos contamination from mines that largely shut down over four decades [ago].” The inauguration of the integrated community medical program, was attended by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba. Local people, including former miners, will be screened for a range of asbestos-related diseases. See: Motsoaledi, Ramathuba to Lead Asbestos Health Screening Drive in Mafefe.

Long Wait for Justice

Aug 24, 2026

After a wait of 18 years, Brazil’s former asbestos giant Eternit S.A. was ordered to pay compensation of R$2.3 million (US$441,000) for the 2008 mesothelioma death of a 66-year-old worker. The unanimous decision was handed down on August 12 by the Superior Labor Court in São Paulo, which acknowledged the link between the deceased’s toxic workplace exposures and the deadly asbestos cancer he contracted. See: Eternit é condenada em R$ 2,3 milhões por morte de trabalhador exposto a amianto [Eternit ordered to pay R$2.3 million in damages for the death of a worker exposed to asbestos].

Asbestos & Gender

Aug 24, 2026

Asbestos victims are generally assumed to be male construction, mining or factory workers. This stereotype is no longer accurate, if it ever was. According to a new analysis uploaded earlier this month to the website of Australia’s Trade Union Abroad – APHEDA: “Across Asia and the Pacific, where asbestos-containing materials are still manufactured and used… women, migrant workers, informal workers, children, older people, and persons with disabilities are affected by asbestos exposure.” Many of those at highest risk are “invisible” workers, employed in the informal sector and/or engaged in emergency response and recovery services. See: Asbestos Is a Gender Justice Issue.

Update: Asbestos Eradication Program

Aug 24, 2026

On August 13, 2026, Dr. Mamo B. Mamo – the Director General of Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) – gave evidence to a parliamentary committee on national efforts to implement a national asbestos ban. Also discussed during the session were safe disposal guidelines for asbestos material and the schedule for remediating and/or demolishing asbestos-contaminated public buildings. Before prohibitions were in place, asbestos roofing was widely used in Kenya for “government housing, educational institutions, and public infrastructure projects…” See: NEMA Chief Summoned to Parliament Over Status of Asbestos Ban Implementation.

From Asbestos Mine to Panda Reserve

Aug 24, 2026

The ecological remediation of abandoned asbestos mines in China’s Sichuan region to improve the habitat for Giant Pandas remains an ongoing challenge as explained by the August 15th article cited below. Restoration work of the area began in 2010 with an initial three-year plan for work on the 250.93-hectare site. By last year (2025), the project had reached a phase of routine management with local people praising the safer living conditions in nearby communities. See: 石棉县：矿山的“新衣”如何穿得漂亮、穿得牢固？丨和谐共生 [Shimian County: How to Give Mines a “New Look” That Is Both Beautiful and Durable? | Harmonious Coexistence].

AI Technology for Asbestos Diagnoses

Aug 24, 2026

A paper published on August 10, 2026 in the peer-reviewed journal of Applied Sciences as part of the 2nd Edition of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Healthcare series examined the feasibility of using “an automated framework for detecting pleural plaques (PPs) at the patient level using a single chest CT scan.” A testing protocol for PPs was developed by French researchers; it was used to evaluate health records of 1,241 retired workers with known occupational asbestos exposures. The authors of the study concluded that the new procedure had a “strong potential for automated patient-level identification of pleural plaques from a single CT scan.” See: AI-Driven Automated Detection of Pleural Plaques on Chest CT Scans in Retired Asbestos-Exposed Workers.

Dire Asbestos Assessment

Aug 21, 2026

It was reported on August 13, 2026 that Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) had categorized as “uninhabitable” houses with asbestos roofs because they did not meet building durability criteria and posed a health risk. Unfortunately, many properties in the country are covered with asbestos-cement roofing materials and tiles. According to the head of the BPS Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti “the highest percentage of households using asbestos roofs by province are in the Bangka Belitung Islands (56.7%) followed by Jakarta (54.6%).” See: BPS: Rumah Beratap Asbes Masuk Tak Layak Huni, Bangka Belitung Tertinggi [BPS: Asbestos-Roofed Houses Ranked Uninhabitable, Bangka Belitung Highest].

Asbestos Exposé of London Transport

Aug 21, 2026

Another stunning piece of investigative journalism was uploaded on August 10, 2026 to the Confront Power website. Having reviewed the history of asbestos use on the London underground system, the article examined stories told by past and current employees who had experienced toxic workplace exposures. It was shocking to read the description of recent asbestos incidents provided by underground worker and whistleblower Micky Steeds who in March 2026 finally won his case at an employment tribunal for his unfair dismissal in 2023. See: Mind the dust: Asbestos disease and the London Underground.

More Asbestos Recalls!

Aug 21, 2026

On August 11 & 13, 2026, EU asbestos recalls were issued for three toxic toys, all of which contained contaminated sand with asbestos measuring up to 5% by weight. The toy recalled on August 11 by Alert number SR/02251/26 was a Super Stretchy Soldier and was made in the Netherlands. The toys recalled on August 13 were by Alert number SR/02291/26 a stretchy mouse toy made in China and by Alert number: SR/02290/26 Fun Sand Scented Blueberry. This brings the total number of EU asbestos recalls for toys this year to 60. See:
Alert number: SR/02251/26. Super Stretchy Soldier.
Alert number: SR/02290/26. Fun Sand Scented Blueberry.
Alert number: SR/02291/26. Sand-filled stretchy mouse toy.

Asbestos Legacy of US Army

Aug 21, 2026

US military bases in the Pacific command contain a lethal cocktail of toxic materials, including asbestos, according to a heavily redacted report by the Pentagon. Following on-site inspections at 11 US facilities, an emergency management advisory was issued in August with the full report going to senior Defence Department officials. According to unnamed Pentagon sources, the built environment on the bases was suffering “severe degradation” as “many of the buildings date back to the 1970s,” a time when the use of asbestos-containing material was routine. See: US Pacific bases severely degraded, Pentagon inspector-general warns.

Quantifying the Costs of Asbestos Use

Aug 21, 2026

The paper cited below by researchers in Colombia, the US and Australia was published on August 11, 2026 in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Using data from 2022, the authors calculated that the current economic burden of asbestos-related diseases in Colombia was between US $71 million and US$180 million. The financial impact of this toxic legacy extended “far beyond healthcare expenditures when productivity losses and quality-of-life impacts are considered.” See: Economic Impact of Asbestos in Colombia: Estimation of the Direct and Societal Costs of Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma in 2022.

Asbestos Recall

Aug 21, 2026

On August 12, 2026, the UK’s Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued a recall for Kiddo World Make Your Own Sensory Bin Construction Site (2608-0004). The description of the product on the OPSS website read as follows: “Box of sensory toys including glow-in-the-dark stones, magnetic sand and construction vehicles.” The notification reported that the reason for the recall was that: “The product presents a risk to health as the play sand may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos." Like many other toys and children’s products recalled this year in the UK, this item was made in China. See: Product Recall: Kiddo World Make Your Own Sensory Bin Construction Site (2608-0004).

Asbestos Death of Railway Worker

Aug 19, 2026

In October, 2025, former railway worker Vincenzo Faggiani died of mesothelioma, a month after he had been diagnosed; he was 66 years old. For 39 years, the deceased had worked at the major railway repair workshop in Turin (OGR) and on the Piedmontese railway network. On August 10, 2026, his son Aldo lodged a complaint with the Public Prosecutor's Office of Turin, Italy. See: Amianto, dopo quarant'anni di lavoro nelle Ferrovie Vincenzo Faggiani è morto in un mese: il figlio Aldo chiede giustizia in Procura [Asbestos, after forty years of work on the Railways Vincenzo Faggiani died in a month: his son Aldo asks the Public Prosecutor's Office for justice].

Asbestos at the University

Aug 19, 2026

Information released under New Zealand’s Official Information Act alerted electricians and maintenance staff working at the University of Otago to the “high risk” of potential exposures to asbestos-contaminated material in the plant rooms and risers, or utility shafts of the Adams Building. This situation was first reported in 2018. Upon learning about the contamination earlier this year, trade services staff in the Adams Building registered their concerns. The plant room was closed for tests which established that it was “safe to continue regular activities;” a clearance certificate was issued in May 2026 when the asbestos-containing material was removed. See: Workers in University of Otago building exposed to asbestos for years.

Towards an Asbestos-Free Indonesia!

Aug 19, 2026

Indonesia’s Ministry of Health (MoH) is progressing efforts to eradicate the asbestos hazard by 2035 by strengthening the country’s integrated Asbestos Exposure Control Policy. Pursuant to this objective, the MoH is taking steps to: produce a national asbestos inventory; ensure strict supervision of asbestos use; minimize toxic exposures to the public; encourage the industrial transition to asbestos-free technologies; issue a unilateral and comprehensive ban on the use of all types of asbestos. See: Ancaman Mematikan di Balik Atap Murah, Kenapa Asbes Berbahaya? [The Deadly Threat Behind a Cheap Roof, Why Is Asbestos Dangerous?].

Post-Disaster Asbestos Hazard

Aug 19, 2026

The summer of 2026 has been dominated by news of devastating wildfires in many countries on many continents. The article cited below focused on the after-effects of fires which occurred this month in Spokane, Washington. The author, an environmental engineer, warned that people returning to homes which escaped the fires could be unaware of potential hazards they might encounter such as the presence of “smoke, toxic ash and chemicals from burning buildings and vehicles” and contamination of the water supply. See: Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return.

Another EU Asbestos Recall!

Aug 19, 2026

On August 11, 2026, the European Commission’s Safety Gate system – the EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products – issued Alert number: SR/02251/26 for sand-filled figurines sold under the name of “Super Stretchy Soldier.” According to the official notification the toxic toy, which was made in the Netherlands: “could rupture and the filling of the inside could come out. The sand inside contains asbestos (measured value up to 5% by weight). Asbestos could cause cancer.” See: Alert number: SR/02251/26. Sand-filled figurine toy.

Montana Victims Abandoned!

Aug 19, 2026

A life-saving medical clinic which had been providing services for people with asbestos-related diseases in Libby, Montana during one of the worst public health disasters in U.S. history announced plans for closure by August 31. A subsequent Facebook posting reported that the Center for Asbestos Related Disease was permanently closed as of August 10. After 25 years of local access to specialist medical care, Libby’s asbestos-injured were cast adrift following legal actions by asbestos defendants and the withdrawal of government support. See: After Generations of Asbestos Exposure, Sickened Libby Residents Wonder Where to Turn for Care After Clinic Closure.

New Toxic Toys Exposé

Aug 17, 2026

Ground-breaking research by concerned New Zealand parents exposed the misinformation disseminated by retailers and government officials about the hazards posed by children’s use of asbestos-contaminated toys. According to the narrative spread by Kmart – a “highly popular chain of discount department stores” in Australia and New Zealand – the use of these products was “low risk.” A report finally released by the New Zealand authorities showed that the source of this advice was a corporate risk assessment that “did not involve any additional testing or even a visual inspection of the contaminated products.” See: Elle’s twins played with asbestos-contaminated coloured sand for a year. Why wasn’t she warned of its danger?

HSE Victory in Welsh Court

Aug 17, 2026

On July 6, 2026, a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) resulted in a guilty verdict and a £36,000 fine (US$49,000) at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court, Wales for the waste and recycling company: World Care (Wales) Limited. As a result of a routine inspection by HSE staff, multiple infringements of mandatory asbestos regulations were discovered, including the company’s failures to provide asbestos awareness training for the workforce. See: North Wales waste and recycling company fined over welfare facilities and repeated site failures.

The Sinking of the São Paulo

Aug 17, 2026

Three years ago, the Brazilian navy disposed of the contentious and contaminated national flagship – the São Paulo – by “sinking it in a controlled manner.” The toxic hull now lies in a secret location ~350 kilometers off the Brazilian coast at a depth of 5,000 meters. Buried at sea with the São Paulo was a dangerous cocktail of asbestos, toxic paints, and industrial waste. How and why this story unfolded was explained in an article published earlier this month. See: La France a vendu un porte-avions de 265 m au Brésil en 2000 : 23 ans plus tard, il coulait avec tout ce qu’il contenait encore [France sold a 265m aircraft carrier to Brazil in 2000; 23 years later, it sank with everything still on board

South Australia: New Strategy

Aug 17, 2026

A report published by the Australian State of South Australia detailed the State’s new strategy for protecting workers and members of the public from potentially deadly exposures to asbestos and silica. Over the next five years, WorkSafe SA – “the government agency in South Australia that keeps workplaces safe” – will work to: raise asbestos awareness amongst younger workers; identify trades at high-risk of asbestos exposures; ensure compliance with the ban on engineered stone; foster partnerships with academics and researchers working on issues related to silica exposure and the development of health monitoring protocols. See: South Australia raises the bar in battle against silica and asbestos.

Saitama Class Action

Aug 17, 2026

A partial settlement worth ~568.1 million yen (US$3.6m) was reached on August 6, 2026 at the Saitama District Court between four Japanese manufacturers of asbestos-containing building products and claimants representing 41 individuals who were part of a class action brought on behalf of 90 injured construction workers. No settlement was reached for other victims, whose claims continue. Since the litigation first began, 13 claimants died. See: メーカーに損害賠償を求めたアスベスト訴訟、一部和解「今までに13人が亡くなった」 [Asbestos lawsuit seeking damages from manufacturers results in partial settlement: 13 people have died so far].

Remote Arctic Weather Station: Update

Aug 17, 2026

Earlier this month, it was announced that a remote and abandoned 20th century Arctic research and weather station within the territory of Nunavut, Canada would be remediated by agencies of the Canadian Government. Work to assess the level of contamination, which began in 2012 and cost $9 million, identified the presence of asbestos, lead, mercury and mold. The full-scale remediation will include eradication of the hazards with off-site disposals as well as demolition of derelict structures. See: Feds to clean up old Arctic weather station contaminated by asbestos, lead.

Conviction for Asbestos Dumping in NSW

Aug 14, 2026

Information from the links below detail the successful investigation by the authorities in New South Wales (NSW), which secured a guilty verdict for businessman Andrew Hughes and his company Ant Civil Pty Ltd. They were accused of multiple incidents of illegal asbestos dumping in a Sydney suburb. The use of one of the “biggest pollution stings in the history of the NSW Environment Protection Authority” was pivotal to securing the conviction. See: (1) Sydney man and company found guilty of Wheeny Creek pollution.

See: (2) [Subscription site] How a covert tree camera caught an ex-bikie’s massive illegal asbestos dump.