News Archive

Research undertaken in 2023-2024 by the Quebec Ministry of the Environment in the former asbestos mining region found “high levels” of the carcinogenic mineral in waterways in Val-des-Sources and Thetford Mines. Asbestos fibers liberated by mountains of asbestos mining waste (tailings) “are causing an increase in the concentration of asbestos fibers in the water and sediments” of local waterways. See: Des « niveaux élevés » d’amiante dans des cours d’eau à Val-des-Sources et Thetford Mines [“High levels” of asbestos in waterways in Val-des-Sources and Thetford Mines].

Asbestos Ban Threat Withdrawn

Jul 16, 2025

The July 7th article cited below from the New York Times broke the news that plans to derail a 2024 ban on asbestos implemented by the Biden Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had now been dropped. In a document submitted to a US Court of Appeals on July 6, the EPA said: “The agency has further reconsidered… EPA plans to explore whether guidance could provide further clarity to stakeholders as they implement the Rule [the Asbestos Part 1; Chrysotile Asbestos Rule 2024], particularly with respect to any workplace protection measures.” See [subscription site]: Trump Administration, Reversing Itself, Won’t Rewrite a Ban on Asbestos.

Asbestos Hazard in European Schools

Jul 16, 2025

An article in a special issue of a magazine which considered multiple health and safety issues at European schools focused on the ubiquitous threat posed by the presence of asbestos material to staff and students. According to the author Tony Musu asbestos contamination of EU schools is widespread: “In France, approximately 80% of the schools built prior to 1997… might still contain asbestos… one in three schools in Germany is still considered to be contaminated with asbestos while up to…3,000 education establishments in Italy” are also affected. See: Asbestos in schools: an invisible scourge for teachers and pupils alike. Pages 29-31 of the special issue: Healthy teachers, better schools of HesaMag 30 – Spring-Summer 2025.

Progress Update: Asbestos Eradication

Jul 16, 2025

Throughout South Korea, local authorities have been addressing the public and occupational health threat posed by the presence of asbestos in schools. In North Chungcheong Province, in the center of the country, the head of the Education Facilities Division Lee Won-il recently said that: “The current asbestos removal rate… is 86.8%, and the asbestos removal rate during this year's winter vacation is expected to be 92.1%. Except for private kindergartens and 18 schools that have been relocated and closed, we are aiming for a 100% asbestos removal rate by the winter vacation of 2026.” See: 충북교육청, 여름방학기간 중 석면 제거 관계자 교육 실시 [Chungbuk Office of Education conducts training for asbestos removal officials during summer vacation].

Asbestos Eradication: Case Study

Jul 16, 2025

The roll-out of a long-awaited asbestos eradication program in Madrid by operatives working for the City Council has left much to be desired. Local people who were affected complained about the lack of prior notice of the start of the project as well as the timing of the work. Prior to the redevelopment of an 8,000-square-meter former municipal warehouse, asbestos specialists descended on the site on July 7 to begin decontamination work. People in the Retiro district are calling for an immediate halt to the work on the contaminated building. See: La historia de la guerra vecinal contra la retirada de amianto de una macroparcela de Retiro [The story of the neighborhood war against the removal of asbestos from a large plot in Retiro Park].

Victory in Sicily!

Jul 16, 2025

More than six years after the mesothelioma death of 64-year-old municipal worker Giuseppe Failla, the Labour Court of Termini Imerese, Sicily ordered the Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL) to pay compensation to his widow. Mr Failla had worked for 33 years for the city of Castelbuono (Palermo) in a number of roles during which time he was regularly exposed to asbestos. INAIL will now pay his wife a monthly pension in addition to the arrears she and her son are owed. See: Castelbuono, morì per esposizione all’amianto: risarcimento ai familiari [Castelbuono, [worker] died due to exposure to asbestos: compensation to family members].

Altrad Fightback

Jul 14, 2025

A statement by Altrad, the French conglomerate which now owns the former British asbestos multinational Cape Plc, was highly critical of support shown by a Parliamentary group for a grassroots campaign calling for a one-off £10 million donation for medical research into asbestos cancer. The company said that the MPs call to ban Altrad from public contracts until the donation was made was “tantamount to extortion.” The contentious recommendation was made in a new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health. See: Altrad says MPs’ call to ban firm from public contracts ‘tantamount to extortion.’

Toxic Talc

Jul 14, 2025

On June 30, 2025, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published the monograph entitled Talc and Acrylonitrile, which categorically stated that “asbestos is present in some talc deposits and has been shown to contaminate some talc products… The general population may be exposed via talc-based consumer products, and pathways of exposure include ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, including via the perineum.” As a result of its research, IARC has categorized talc as “probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A).” See: Talc and Acrylonitrile. IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans.

Royal Navy Dumping

Jul 14, 2025

On July 3, 2024, the British Navy’s warship HMS Bristol arrived at facilities belonging to the Leyal Ship Dismantling Company in Aliağa, Turkey. According to documentation supplied by the ship, substantial amounts of toxic substances including asbestos are present onboard. Twenty-five other British naval vessels were disposed of by the Aliağa shipyard between 2009 and 2024, with six more due to arrive in the coming months. Turkish campaigners argue that according to international treaties these toxic ships should be dealt with in Britain. See: Son savaşı işçilerle! [Her last war is with the workers!].

Childhood Exposure to Asbestos

Jul 14, 2025

The legacy of asbestos mining in Wittenoom, Western Australia (WA) lives on, according to data released in a 10-year follow-up study of 2,464 people who lived in the town as children: “males from the cohort had an increased risk of all cancers and mesothelioma … Females had a significantly elevated risk of all cancers, mesothelioma, and cancers of the ovary and brain. Higher rates of mesothelioma were observed among those with a longer duration of exposure and higher cumulative exposure, consistent with a known exposure-response relationship.” According to the researchers, the figures confirmed the lethal consequences of childhood exposures to asbestos. See: Mortality and Cancer Incidence After Exposure to Blue Asbestos in Childhood: A Further 10 Years of Follow-Up.

Eradicating Toxic Roofing!

Jul 14, 2025

Officials in Uljin-gun, a county in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, last week announced the renewal of municipal funding for the removal of asbestos-cement roofing tiles (slate) from domestic and non-residential buildings. The ongoing program for the eradication of the asbestos hazard is motivated, said Mayor Son Byeong-bok, by the urgent need to protect citizens from potentially lethal exposures to a known carcinogen. See: 울진군, 하반기 슬레이트 처리 지원사업 대상자 모집 [Uljin-gun, Recruitment of Applicants for the Second Half Slate Processing Support Project].

James Hardie On The Run!

Jul 14, 2025

A highly contentious move by James Hardie – Australia’s one-time asbestos giant – to the New York Stock Exchange has “infuriated many Australian shareholders” who did not get to vote on a deal which was announced on June 27, 2025. Concern over the secret nature of the financial proceedings was also expressed by Australian campaigners representing asbestos victims, with Melita Markey, CEO of the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia, accusing the company of running away from asbestos liabilities estimated to be in the region of $1.47 billion (US $921m). See [subscription site]: James Hardie off to NYSE after months of anger over Azek deal.

Mesothelioma Epidemic: Update

Jul 9, 2025

The article cited below was published in the July 2025 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Using data from the Australian Cancer Database covering the period 1982 to 2020, the scientists examined the incidence of mesothelioma, the signature asbestos cancer, according to a variety of factors and predicted future mesothelioma trends. They concluded that: “the greatest risk of mesothelioma in Australia [is] occurring in cohorts with the highest levels of historical cumulative occupational exposure, showing the value of a ban on asbestos…The number of new cases of mesothelioma per year is not expected to decline until after 2030.” See: Mesothelioma Incidence Rates in Australia since 1982: Exploring Age, Period, and Cohort Effects and Future Projections.

Mesothelioma Research

Jul 9, 2025

Grassroots efforts by Japanese asbestos victims and their supporters have been pivotal in progressing research into mesothelioma, a cancer closely associated with exposure to asbestos. Every year, 1,600 people die in Japan from this disease. The Mesothelioma Treatment Promotion Fund, which was set up in 2010 by victims, has so far raised 50 million yen (US$347,000). In March 2025 14m yen was awarded to fund a clinical study and four research projects. The goal of fund raisers is to amass a total of 300 million yen+ (US$2.1m+) from private and government contributions. See [subscription site]: 中皮腫治療への思い＝大島秀利 [Thoughts on mesothelioma treatment – Hidetoshi Oshima].

Upcoming Asbestos Anniversary

Jul 9, 2025

Six decades of asbestos production in Kazakhstan will shortly be celebrated by Kostanay Minerals JSC. This conglomerate is the country’s only producer of chrysotile asbestos, 95% of which is exported. According to the text below: “Kostanay Minerals JSC has always paid and continues to pay special attention to the issues of environmental safety and health of employees. The company actively invests in programs to reduce the impact on the environment and ensures strict compliance with international labor safety standards.” See: 60 лет прочности: АО «Костанайские минералы» – стержень индустрии Казахстана [60 years of strength: Kostanay Minerals JSC is the backbone of Kazakhstan's industry].

End of an Era?

Jul 9, 2025

According to the author of the article cited below, asbestos-cement roofing tiles – formerly an extremely popular product for consumers – have virtually disappeared from sale in Russia and abroad due to the risks posed by toxic exposures to a class 1 carcinogen: asbestos. They have been replaced by safer asbestos-free materials such as metal tiles, flexible tiles and bitumen coatings which do not harm the environment and are safe for human health. See: Шифер из СССР: почему почти исчез из продажи — куда делся символ эпохи [Asbestos-cement tiles from the USSR: why it almost disappeared from sale – where did the symbol of the era go].

Post-Disaster Asbestos Hazard

Jul 9, 2025

The illegal dumping of asbestos-containing waste created by the Eaton and Palisades wildfires in California earlier this year was reported last week. It is believed that cleanup crews working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its main contractor Environmental Chemical Corp. dumped debris at the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center and Calabasas Landfill. These operations were reported to the landfill operators in mid-April, weeks after they had occurred; neither site was designed to handle hazardous material. See: Federal contractors improperly dumped wildfire-related asbestos waste at L.A. area landfills.

New Asbestos Cancer Data

Jul 9, 2025

Figures published on July 2, 2025 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showed a 3% drop in mesothelioma mortality between 2022 and 2023 from 2,280 to 2,218 deaths. Amongst the interesting trends observed were the following: a 3-year reduction in the number of male deaths – the number of female deaths remained level; 70% of all mesothelioma deaths occurred in people 75+ years old; the highest at-risk cohort continues to be men who worked in the building industry. The North East, South East and East of England seem to be the regions with the highest incidences of male mesothelioma mortality and the North East, East and North West for female mortality. See: Latest annual work-related fatalities published.

From Asbestos to Rare Earth Minerals

Jul 7, 2025

The sole remaining operational asbestos mine in Latin America is in the Brazilian city of Minaçu. In 2024, the Serra Verde mining company – backed by US investors – began extracting rare earth minerals at a Minaçu site. With the collapse in global asbestos use, local people are looking to this new industrial sector to secure the town’s future. According to Mayor Carlos Alberto Leréia, revenues from Serra Verde “will bring enormous wealth to the city.” While some locals expressed concerns about the adverse environmental and health consequences of the new mining venture, others wondered whether the promised riches would filter down to the company’s workers and local people. See: Brazil’s last asbestos miners are switching to rare earth minerals. Can they offer a brighter future?

Parliament Calls for Asbestos Action

Jul 7, 2025

The publication cited below by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health (APPG) was released on July 1, 2025 at a meeting at the House of Commons. The 18-page text reviewed the shameful history of Cape Plc, formerly one of the UK’s biggest asbestos conglomerates, and backed calls for a government boycott of the company’s current owner (Altrad) until a £10 million donation is made towards the cost of medical research into asbestos-related cancer. Pursuant to these goals, the APPG will write to ministers and request meetings to progress the report’s recommendations. See: The Legacy of Cape Plc (and Group companies), and the case for justice.

Lung Cancer Lawsuit

Jul 7, 2025

During a June 27, 2025 press conference in Osaka, Japan a former truck driver said that having been denied compensation for contracting asbestos-related lung cancer, he had launched a lawsuit at the Osaka District Court. The claimant alleged that he had been exposed to asbestos contained in building products at multiple construction sites. He was seeking compensation of 11.5 million yen ($US 80,000) from the government. See: 建設アスベスト給付金、不支給は「趣旨を没却」賠償求め初の提訴 [Construction asbestos benefits, non-payment is “forfeiture” First lawsuit for compensation].

Asbestos Eradication Program

Jul 7, 2025

Work has begun in central Struga, a town in the south-western region of North Macedonia, to replace 6.2 kilometers of aging asbestos-cement water pipes “with safe and modern materials”; the budget for the first phase of this program is €1.5 million (US$1.8m). According to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment Izet Mexhiti: “This investment is just part of a broader vision for a sustainable urban environment, with a focus on public health, safe water and modern infrastructure.” See: MMJPH: Filloi faza e parë e rikonstrukcionit dhe zëvendësimit të rrjetit të ujësjellësit në Strugë [MMPPH: The first phase of the reconstruction and replacement of the water supply network in Struga has begun].

Laryngeal Cancer & Asbestos

Jul 7, 2025

A paper that was published on July 1, 2025 in BMC Public Health – “a peer-reviewed open-access scientific journal that covers epidemiology of disease and various aspects of public health” – highlighted the global inconsistencies in the occurrence of laryngeal cancer (LC) resulting from workplace asbestos exposures. Whilst reductions in the incidence of LC have been achieved in some high-income countries “low- and middle-income countries continue to face challenges due to ongoing asbestos use.” See: Global, regional and country-specific burden of larynx cancer due to occupational exposure to asbestos: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Asbestos Hazard Ignored by Scottish Govt

Jul 7, 2025

In June, Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart wrote to the Scottish Government about the health hazard posed by the continued delivery of water via asbestos-cement pipes in Scotland. The response from the Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work Gillian Martin was less than reassuring and confirmed her continued support for the status quo. Wishart is now urging the authorities to “commission their own up-to-date assessment of the connection between asbestos piping and gastrointestinal cancers” and not rely on outdated WHO research. See: SNP ministers reject concerns over asbestos in drinking water.

Landmark Asbestos Verdict!

Jul 2, 2025

On June 24, 2025, the Constitutional Court of Slovenia handed down a ruling upholding the right of relatives to bring a legal action for the asbestos death of a family member. Central to the case was an argument about equality before the law; denying these plaintiffs the right to bring an “inherited” action for damages deprived them of a right enjoyed by the heirs of beneficiaries who had initiated compensation proceedings prior to death. The Court agreed that it was, indeed, the duty of the legislature to treat both groups of heirs in an equal manner. See: Ustavno sodišče: Neupravičenost dedičev do odškodnine zaradi izpostavljenosti azbestu je neustavna [Constitutional Court: Heirs' ineligibility for compensation for exposure to asbestos is unconstitutional].