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Having received information from colleagues in the Dutch Government, Belgian Ministers Rob Beenders and David Clarinval called for action to suspend sales in Belgium of children’s products which had been found by multiple national authorities to be contaminated with asbestos. Retailers were urged to stop selling “play sand” as a precautionary measure. See: « Nous devons protéger nos enfants » : de l’amiante dans des jouets, les ministres Rob Beenders et David Clarinval demandent la suspension des ventes en urgence [“We must protect our children”: Asbestos found in toys, Ministers Rob Beenders and David Clarinval call for an urgent suspension of sales].

It was reported on February 6, 2026 that the Dutch Childcare Industry Association (CIA) had issued a warning to childcare facilities over suspected asbestos contamination of play sand products after tests conducted by Australian authorities had confirmed the toxicity of some imports from China. Whilst results of laboratory tests being carried out by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) were pending, the CIA advised “against using any play sand whose origin or composition is not completely certain.” See: Childcare institutions warned to avoid play sand over possible asbestos.

Less than a week after Hobbycraft – the UK’s largest arts & craft retailer – recalled another product which had tested positive for asbestos contamination, it recalled two more products: Easter Bumper Craft Kit and Pom Pom and Sand Art Kit after tests conducted on some samples of the play sand showed trace levels of the carcinogen. According to the company: “The product presents a risk to health as the vials of sand included in the set may be contaminated with asbestos.” See: Urgent recall issued for two more Hobbycraft products over asbestos fears.

The January 28th, 2026 article cited below was brought to our attention last week by the author Masayuki Ibe. It reported a thoroughly professional and timely investigation of the asbestos contamination of Chinese imports to Japan which was found in play sand as well as magic sand products sold at retail outlets and online via Amazon. See: カラーサンドなど子ども向け「遊び砂」のアスベスト、事業者検査でも次々検出　「基準内なら問題ない」は本当か？　実際には基準超の製品も [Asbestos found in children's play sand, such as colored sand, is it true that “if it's within the standard, there's no problem?” In fact, some products exceed the standard].

The failure by the Dutch authorities to take urgent action after asbestos contamination of play sand had been confirmed was criticized by Dutch asbestos researcher David de Vreede – technical advisor at the Asbestos & Fiber Expertise Center – who said: “I believe that regulators could have called on providers to temporarily remove the products from the market as a precaution until it is clear how great the risk is.” The toxic material had been imported from China. See: Asbest in speelzand al langer bekend, maar toezichthouder NVWA greep niet in: 'Hadden proactiever kunnen handelen' [Asbestos in play sand has been known for some time, but the NVWA (Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) did not intervene: ‘We could have acted more proactively’].

A February 4, 2026 commentary by a UK asbestos specialist itemized laws and responsibilities which might have been broken by the failure of arts & crafts retailer Hobbycraft to take timely action in recalling products found to contain asbestos. Amongst the rules which could have been infringed were: The General Product Safety Regulations; The Control of Asbestos Regulations, 2012; and Duty of Care Guidelines. According to the author of the text, the response by Hobbycraft was “inadequate” as “retailers have a legal and moral obligation to prevent foreseeable harm.” See: Asbestos found in Hobbycraft children’s play sand: Time for more scrutiny and less complacency?

The launch of an outreach welfare program for aging and/or incapacitated asbestos victims was recently announced by the authorities in South Korea’s Boryeong City. The scheme provides “one-stop support from health checks to relief benefits through home visits.” Care is delivered by staff from the Hongseong Medical Center and the municipality. Commenting on the service a city spokesperson said: “Asbestos-related diseases have a long incubation period, so the number of elderly victims continues to increase…and preemptive administrative responses such as health care support and relief system guidance are needed.” See: 보령시, 석면 피해자 845명 대상 건강·구제 원스톱 지원 [Boryeong City, one-stop health and relief support for 845 asbestos victims].

The use of the word Uralita in the title of the article cited below referred to Spain’s most popular brand of asbestos-cement building products which were manufactured by Uralita. Nowadays, Uralita means any type of asbestos material. The text explained multiple schemes operating in Spain to support the eradication of asbestos from the built environment. The author explained that subsidies were available from each autonomous community to help citizens defray asbestos removal costs. Most of the schemes cover 100% of the charges subject to compliance with provisos regarding procedures taken and operatives employed. See: Retirar uralita gratis [Remove uralite for free].

The decision by an Australian travel blogger to visit the site of the former asbestos mining town called Wittenoom in Western Australia (WA) was the focus of a February 4th article which appeared on the website of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Queenslander Ronelle Fotinis took her four-year old daughter with her on the trip late last year to the town widely known as the “the biggest asbestos-contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere.” Commenting on the criticism she received for endangering her daughter, Ms. Fotinis said: “I don't regret going, but at the same time, I'm not going to go back.” See: Travel blogger called out for visit to asbestos-ridden former Wittenoom town site with young daughter.

The text cited below included an informative exchange delineating key stages, developments and actors involved in the UK’s asbestos catastrophe. Author Tom White highlighted political, economic and social factors which combined to create a favorable climate in which the asbestos industrial sector could thrive throughout much of the 20th century. His comments shed light on the reason for the asbestos complacency of successive governments and the failure to act on the continuing asbestos hazard posed by widespread contamination. “I think,” he concluded that the “best available option is a large-scale asbestos removal programme…to stop what are completely preventable deaths in the next 10, 15, and 20 years.” See: Understanding the UK’s asbestos disaster.

According to data presented during an asbestos conference in Catanzaro, the capital of Italy’s Calabria region, between 1993 and 2025 there were up to 230 cases of asbestos-related cancers and diseases in and around the area of the municipality of Vibo Valentia. Because many of those affected sought medical treatment elsewhere, even this high number underestimated the catastrophic effect asbestos use had in Calabria. See: Nel Vibonese centinaia di morti per l’amianto in trent’anni: cifre sottostimate perché molti sono andati al Nord per curarsi [In the Vibo area, hundreds of deaths from asbestos in thirty years: figures underestimated because many have gone to the North for treatment].

During the winter school vacation, asbestos remediation work at nine elementary, middle, and high schools in Uijeongbu City, South Korea was closely monitored to ensure compliance with mandatory regulations and guidelines. The responsibility of the inspectors was wide-ranging and included checking: the work of on-site supervisors, the implementation of asbestos dust suppression measures, the use of asbestos air monitoring procedures and compliance with asbestos emission standards. See: 오늘] 의정부시, 석면 해체 학교 9곳 점검 완료...‘석면 비산 기준치 이내’ 안전 확인 [Uijeongbu City completes inspection of 9 schools remediating asbestos...’Asbestos scattering standard’ safety confirmed].

The article cited below described the increasing frustration of the Mayor of a former asbestos mining town at delays caused by the need to remove and remediate asbestos found during work on the Quebec Central railway between Vallée Junction and Thetford Mines. According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, although soil contamination was identified during the design phase, more has been found since work began on the third section of the railway. See: L’amiante retarde la réhabilitation du train entre Lévis et Thetford Mines [The presence of asbestos is delaying the rehabilitation of the train line between Lévis and Thetford Mines].

On January 27, 2026 the Guardian journalist Anna Tims, who on January 24 broke the story that asbestos contamination had been found in a product sold by Hobbycraft UK (the country’s largest arts and craft supplier), published a follow-up article which announced that the company had now issued an urgent recall “of children’s coloured play sand after confirming some bottles contained asbestos, presenting a risk to health” after tests it commissioned confirmed the presence of tremolite asbestos in vials which were part of the Hobbycraft Giant Box of Craft. The toxic product had been imported from China. See: Hobbycraft issues full recall of asbestos-tainted children’s play sand.

On January 30, 2026, The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued a recall for yet more childrens’ toys imported from China. The two toxic items which were found to contain tremolite asbestos were both sold by Toymate: they were: Wonder Co – Scoop & Play Ice cream sensory bin and Scoop & Play Dino discovery sensory bin. These items were available in Australia from retail outlets and via online portals from December 10, 2024 until January 7, 2026. See: Wonder Co – Scoop & Play Ice cream sensory bin and Scoop & Play Dino discovery sensory bin.

The article cited below detailed a looming deadline for the submission of asbestos claims by former servicemen of the French military. At the heart of the text is the case of a Tahitian resident who had served in the French Navy for 35 years. Acknowledging the deadline, the retiree said that even though he did not have a diagnosed asbestos-related condition, he had decided to appeal to the French State for compensation for “moral damage” caused by the anxiety of knowing he had routinely been exposed to asbestos due to the Navy’s failure to implement preventive measures. See: Amiante: un ancien militaire de la Marine nationale demande reparation [Asbestos: a former French Navy serviceman asks for compensation].

The Saturday, January 24, 2026 issue of The Guardian newspaper ran a story entitled Asbestos found in children’s play sand sold in UK, which confirmed that asbestos-contaminated colored sand had been sold in the UK by the nationwide chain Hobbycraft. The company withdrew the product from its shelves but did not recall it, saying that there had been no government warning. A Westminster spokesperson criticized Hobbycraft’s half measures, saying “there’s no good reason why Hobbycraft shouldn’t recall this themselves, given the evidence;” whilst the Department for Business and Trade resorted to its standard rhetoric defending the country’s “robust product safety laws” and “strict criteria.” You couldn’t make it up! [Read full article]

An exposé screened by Italy’s public broadcaster RAI on Sunday January 4, 2026 refocused national attention on a scandal which had been festering for decades: the failure of the Italian authorities to hold to account people responsible for a national epidemic of avoidable ill-health and premature deaths. While there is no proof that the offers made by international powerbrokers revealed on the program were either realized or responsible for the Supreme Court’s contentious decision in 2014 to overturn Stephan Schmidheiny’s convictions over asbestos deaths caused by his Italian operations, the public most definitely has a right to know why the Court took that action. With another Supreme Court asbestos decision on the horizon, clarity from the Court is a matter of some urgency. [Read full article]

At the end of last year Azerbaijan, a former Soviet Republic, announced plans to outlaw the use of asbestos and asbestos-containing products. This follows national bans in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine. Pro-asbestos propaganda spread by Russian and Kazakh producers – responsible for ~70% of global asbestos output – has clearly lost the dominance it once had over the regional asbestos discourse. According to Azerbaijani ecologist Rovshan Abbasov: “The history of asbestos bans in developed countries begins with the discovery of a direct link between this mineral and the development of severe lung diseases, including cancer. Medical studies have irrefutably proven the carcinogenicity of asbestos fibres when inhaled.” [Read full article]

December is traditionally the time of year to review the accomplishments, triumphs and low points of the last twelve months. Throughout the year, initiatives to identify the asbestos-injured, build medical capacity, implement awareness campaigns, lobby decision-makers and expose asbestos injustices were implemented in Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, Latin & North America. There can be no doubt that the problems asbestos poses to humanity and the environment are now an integral part of discussions about human rights, environmental justice, ecodiversity and sustainability. Despite progress made in 2025, much remains to be done. We look forward to working with you all in 2026. In the meantime, please accept greetings of solidarity and friendship and our very best wishes for a happy and healthy new year! [Read full article]

One week before Christmas, the UK government issued a blanket denial about the sale of imported asbestos-contaminated toys in response to three questions asked by Labour MP Ian Lavery: “There is no evidence these products are available on the UK market.” They are wrong and the proof was readily available if anyone had bothered to look. Our online research identified at least two of the products recalled in Australia over asbestos fears which had been listed on Amazon UK: Educational Colours Rainbow Sand and Galt Sand Stickers. It seems obvious that given the choice parents and grandparents would prefer to err on the side of caution and choose a gift that did not contain a toxic substance. Shouldn’t someone, somewhere be sounding the alarm? [Read full article]

The long-term committed efforts of grassroots ban asbestos campaigners in Indonesia have transformed the national dialogue from one accepting asbestos industry rhetoric about the “safe use” of asbestos – a Group 1 carcinogen – to one calling for interim health protections prior to an eventual ban on all use. This progress did not go unnoticed by asbestos vested interests; in retaliation, the industry implemented strategies to quash the activities of campaigning groups and lock the Indonesian government into treaties obligating it to maintain the status quo under which the import, use and sale of asbestos-containing goods remains legal. [Read full article]

At the culmination of the December 9-10, 2025, 3rd Regional Asbestos Conference held by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – Asia Pacific Region that took place in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, the delegates adopted a Conference Statement pledging their commitment “to eliminate the use of all forms of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials in our countries and globally…” Specific measures were delineated for future action by trade unionists on the regional hazard posed by continuing asbestos use and strategies discussed for outreach work with the ADB, the ILO, the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat, ASEAN & SAARC. [Read full article]

An October 30, 2025 verdict handed down by India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT), the country’s designated court for environmental matters, contained significant findings regarding the continued use of asbestos in the country’s schools. The Court confirmed that: the deterioration of asbestos-containing building material posed a serious human health hazard; there is no safe limit of exposure to asbestos; claims by manufacturers that asbestos fibers were “firmly locked” into roofing sheets were incorrect. The Government was given six months to respond to these findings. It is noteworthy that India, the world’s largest asbestos-importing country, used an average of 438,000 tonnes of asbestos a year between 2021 and 2023. [Read full article]

As Australians were struggling with multiple asbestos scandals, issuing product recalls and demanding better enforcement by federal agencies in recent weeks, in Washington, D.C. the authorities seemed to be adopting a surprisingly laissez-faire position. In October, part of the White House was precipitously demolished to make way for a new ballroom; this was followed in November with an announcement that plans to impose stricter testing protocols for asbestos fibers in talc products had been withdrawn. US politicians and campaigners were shocked by the seeming deviation from best practice whilst a Russian commentator found much to his liking in the moves being taken by the Trump administration which he alleged was trying “to end the witch hunt” related to asbestos. [Read full article]

Groups representing asbestos victims, trade unionists, medical personnel and concerned citizens from Europe, Asia and Australia released a press release on December 9, 2025 congratulating the Brazilian Association of the Asbestos-Exposed (ABREA) on its 30th anniversary. Commenting on this auspicious event, Sugio Furuya of the Asian Ban Asbestos Network (ABAN) noted that: “ABREA stands as a symbol throughout Asia of solidarity and fellowship. Its sustained efforts to ban asbestos exports to Asia has saved and will save many lives as we work towards an asbestos-free future for all!” Acknowledging our collective debt to ABREA, IBAS Coordinator Laurie Kazan-Allen added: “ABREA gave a face to a worldwide human disaster” (Clique aqui para ler a versão em português). [Read full article]

For decades, the human costs of the asbestos industry’s profits were paid for by workers, family members, local people and communities that had been exposed to carcinogenic fibers liberated by mining, transporting and manufacturing processes. The failure of international agencies to take timely action on the asbestos hazard was due, in some part, to their woeful underestimation of global asbestos mortality. Finally, in 2017 a paper was published which suggested that cumulative annual global asbestos mortality far exceeded previous estimates and could surpass 300,000. The lead author of the 2017 paper was Professor Jukka Takala; details of a presentation he gave last month are recounted in this article including his insightful statement: “Cancer is a disease – Occupational cancer is an administrative decision.” [Read full article]

In the last fortnight a huge furore has been building over news that asbestos contamination had been found in children’s play sand exported from China to Australia and New Zealand. Shortly after the news about the deadly sand broke in Australia, it was reported that asbestos had been found in lift brake pads used across the country by the Chinese-owned energy company Goldwind Australia. In recent years, asbestos alerts for contaminated Chinese exports were issued in multiple countries. Scientific experts have called on the Chinese Government to prohibit the use of all asbestos-containing material. Should the authorities choose to heed their advice it would not only save countless lives at home but would reassure potential importers that products made in China need not carry cancer warning labels. [Read full article]

In less than a week, news that asbestos had been found in colored sand products being used by pre-school and primary school children in Australia reverberated around the world. This was Australia’s second public health asbestos crisis in two years and the media coverage this time round was even more incendiary than it had been in 2024. On November 12, 2025 authorities in Australia and New Zealand confirmed that precautionary measures would be taken following the announcement by the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission that several sand-based products “may contain tremolite asbestos.” A preliminary UK investigation found that one of the products recalled in Australia, currently listed as “unavailable,” had been sold on Amazon UK. [Read full article]

For decades The Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI), a Global Union Federation representing 12 million workers in 117 countries, has been at the forefront of the global campaign to protect workers from toxic asbestos exposures. On November 10, 2025, it issued a position paper recommitting itself to the ban of all asbestos-containing materials. In the new document, the BWI called on the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – a member of the World Bank Group and “the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets” – to “prohibit all investments in asbestos, removing its exemption for bonded asbestos materials.”(The following link is to a permitted copy of the BWI paper.) [Read full article]

The furore that had been building since mid-October over controversial plans by President Trump to demolish part of the White House to build a mega-ballroom exploded last weekend with almost universal negative media coverage. It was not only the speed of the demolition of the East Wing but also the lack of transparency over planning, safety protocols and private donors that were driving public outrage with more than half the Americans polled disapproving of the project. Many critics of Trump’s latest “vanity project” expressed concern about the apparent lack of health and safety protocols to deal with asbestos material which was almost certainly present in the structure. [Read full article]

In the run-up to November meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in South Korea, grassroots activists held “The Ban Asbestos from the Asia-Pacific Region” protest in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul on October 21, 2025. The event was organized by the Asian Citizens' Center for Environmental Health (Eco-Health) and supported by a variety of groups active on environmental and health issues. Commenting on the demonstration, Director of Eco-Health Choi Ye-yong said: “The continued use of asbestos in Asia is contrary not just to APEC’s core objectives but also to the human rights of every individual…. It is time for APEC and other regional bodies to do the right thing and mandate a regional ban on the use of asbestos.” [Read full article]

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Demonstration in Woluwe Park, Brussels, 2006

Under cloudy skies, members of Belgian and French Asbestos Victims' Associations from Dunkirk and Bourgogne marched side-by-side in the third annual demonstration organized by ABEVA, the Belgian Association of Asbestos Victims. Erik Jonckheere, ABEVA's Co-chairman, condemned the government which still refuses to recognize the plight of the asbestos injured.

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