News Archive

This week, the Lazio Regional Administrative Court in Italy ordered the Ministry of Defense to pay compensation of €200,000 (US$229,000) to the widow and son of a sailor who died from mesothelioma. The deceased, who was a non-commissioned officer in the Navy for 40 years, was exposed to asbestos at sea and on shore during his military service. See: “Esposto ad amianto per 40 anni”: Tar del Lazio condanna la Difesa per la morte di un marinaio [“Exposed to asbestos for 40 years”: Lazio Regional Administrative Court condemns Defense [Ministry] for death of sailor].

Asbestos at the BBC

Jun 6, 2025

Asbestos products were discovered at buildings scheduled for demolition at the BBC Elstree Centre in Hertfordshire. The toxic material was found in 150 places in studios, a restaurant, the Central Technical Area, Hart House, a maintenance building and workshops, none of which were currently being used. After specialists have eradicated the hazard and the buildings are demolished, the site will be developed “to create a major new film and TV production complex with modern day requirements able to attract large-scale productions.” See: Former BBC studios where EastEnders was filmed riddled with asbestos.

Sydney Premiere

Jun 6, 2025

On June 7, 2025, an Australian documentary entitled Yurlu/Country will have its first ever screening at the Sydney Film Festival. The film followed the work of Aboriginal elder Maitland Parker who fought to hold the Government of Western Australia to account for the contamination of Banjima land in the Pilbara region. Operations at the Wittenoom Blue Asbestos Mine turned the Banjima land into “the largest contaminated area in the southern hemisphere.” Mr. Parker died in March 2024 from the signature asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. See: Film follows fight to heal Country from poison legacy.

Asbestos Causes Cancer – Who Knew?

Jun 6, 2025

The upload last week of the damning Russian language article cited below was unusual. Asbestos stakeholders in Russia, the world’s largest asbestos-producing country, exert considerable control of the national asbestos dialogue. The industry lobby works hard to suppress adverse publicity and the disclosure of evidence linking asbestos exposures and cancer. It seems that Author Maria Koroleva did not get the memo. In her text, Koroleva reported that the substance once called a “miracle” had now become a “curse.” “About 80% of residential buildings [in Russia],” she wrote “have asbestos-cement materials in their construction.” See: Тихий убийца: этот строительный материал вызывает рак — он вокруг нас [The Silent Killer: This Building Material Causes Cancer - It's All Around Us].

Costly Discovery in Niigata

Jun 6, 2025

This month, the council of Niigata, Japan is debating an additional allocation of 189.5 million yen (US$1.3m) to the 2025 budget to cover the unexpected costs of asbestos removal at the former city hall annex which is currently undergoing demolition work. Previous inspections had not identified asbestos on this site but a month ago, after the interior had been demolished, asbestos-containing material was been found in the ceiling. See: 解体工事中の旧新潟市役所分館、天井裏などにアスベスト　解体終了2026年春以降にずれ込む見通し[Demolition of former Niigata City Hall Annex building currently underway: Asbestos found in ceiling and other areas; demolition expected to be delayed until spring 2026 or later].

Toxic Talc

Jun 6, 2025

In mid-May, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Marvin Isgur in the Southern District of Texas requested that a District Court “determine, by trial or otherwise, whether any of the talc sold by Barretts Minerals, Inc. (“BMI”) contained sufficient quantity and form of asbestos to cause mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.” Judge Isgur also ruled that the current entity of the defunct talc supplier Barretts Minerals Inc, can continue its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Lawyers representing personal injury claimants objected to the decision arguing that the parent company Minerals Technologies Inc. remains solvent. See: Texas judge asks District Court to examine asbestos levels out of Dillon mine.

Call for Global Asbestos Ban

Jun 4, 2025

An article by Bernard Fontaine on the website of EPonline – a resource for environmental professionals – on June 2, 2025 detailed the legacy asbestos hazard which continued to expose workers and members of the public to preventable health risks long after asbestos use had been banned. Having discussed diseases caused by toxic exposures and evidence supporting calls to outlaw its use, the author wrote: “In summary, a comprehensive approach – legal bans, worker protections, product substitution, public health surveillance, and safe industrial practices – is needed to eliminate asbestos harm... ongoing vigilance is required to protect current workers and residents from legacy asbestos.” See: Global Asbestos Threat Persists Despite Widespread Bans and Mounting Evidence.

Asbestos Eradication: Update

Jun 4, 2025

In a press release issued on May 30, 2025 by multiple departments and officials of the UK Government it was announced that the sum of £1.2 billion (US$1.6bn) had been allocated “to fix crumbling hospitals and schools across England.” Four hundred and seventy million pounds of this money will be used to address crumbling roofs and asbestos contamination at 656 schools; the vast majority of English schools still contain asbestos building material even though asbestos use was banned more than 20 years ago. See: Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs.

Asbestos in Philadelphia Schools

Jun 4,2025

An agreement which was expected to be signed last week between the Philadelphia school board and the U.S. Department of Justice did not materialize. The Philadelphia school district is being investigated by federal authorities over asbestos management practices in Philadelphia schools. The vast majority of district buildings contain asbestos. Under the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response law “if asbestos is present in any school building, that building must be inspected every six months; every building must be checked.” Asbestos audits either did not take place or were not in compliance with the regulations. See: DOJ ‘not ready to proceed’ with agreement over a federal investigation of Philly schools’ asbestos management processes.

Progress Update: Schools

Jun 4, 2025

On June 1, 2025, the Provincial Office of Education in Gyeonggi, South Korea announced plans to implement the ‘2025 School Asbestos Building Safety Management Service Project’ to address concerns over asbestos material which is still present in 423 schools. The implementation of this project comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Employment and Labor. As per mandatory regulations of the Asbestos Safety Control Act, school officials with asbestos in their buildings must carry out a risk assessment every six months and take steps to protect school users from toxic exposures. See: 경기도교육청, 학교석면 위해성평가 및 유지보수 용역사업 [Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, School Asbestos Hazard Assessment and Maintenance Service Project].

Asbestos Eradication in Sicily

Jun 4, 2025

A new program which offers subsidies for the removal of asbestos material from residential buildings was announced last week by Sicily’s Regional Department of Energy, through the Water and Waste Department. Under the scheme, a maximum amount of €5,000 (US$5,700) can be claimed per home, €2,500 (US$2,900) per real estate unit and €30,000 (US$34,000) per apartment building. Applications can be submitted online until September 5, 2025. See: Sicilia, fino a 5.000 euro per la rimozione dell’amianto in casa [Sicily, up to 5,000 euros for the removal of asbestos at home].

Asbestos Memoir Wins Prize

Jun 2, 2025

A coming-of-age book by Sébastien Dulude about growing up in a Canadian asbestos mining town won the Quebec Librarians’ Prize on May 29, 2025. Along with the publicity this literary award generated, the recipient also received $10,000. The author grew up in Canada’s asbestos heartland in Thetford Mines, Quebec. His first novel, entitled Amiante (Asbestos), which was set in 1986-1991, was warmly received by the public and critics, and was nominated for a dozen awards. See: Sébastien Dulude remporte le Prix des libraires du Québec [Sébastien Dulude wins the Québec Librarians' Prize].

Federal Investigation in Philadelphia

Jun 2, 2025

According to information released on May 28, 2025, US federal authorities had launched an investigation into the Philadelphia School District’s management of asbestos in school buildings. Two years ago, district officials had admitted that their practices were not in compliance with federal requirements. Hundreds of Philadelphia’s schools, garages, pools, farms, and other structures contain deteriorating asbestos-containing material which is supposed to be periodically monitored. A lack of capacity and resources were blamed for failures to comply with mandatory regulations. See: Philly schools under federal investigation for asbestos management practices.

Asbestos Legacy on Railways

Jun 2, 2025

The extensive use of asbestos on trains belonging to the Swiss Federal Railways (German: Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, SBB) left a deadly and costly legacy. As of 2000, there had been 80 asbestos-related casualties among staff, 58 of which were fatal. In 2017, SBB set up an asbestos compensation scheme for injured workers. Despite previous investigations, asbestos-containing products remain on SBB trains. A new program to identify and eradicate this toxic material is now ongoing. See: Des trains CFF encore en service pourraient contenir une dangereuse substance toxique [SBB trains still in service may contain a dangerous toxic substance].

Victory at the Appeal Court

Jun 2, 2025

Overturning a verdict of a lower court, the Trieste Court of Appeal ordered Italy’s Ministry of Education to pay compensation of around €600,000 (US$680,000) to the family of a technical assistant from the A. Volta Institute in Trieste who died in 2016 of pleural mesothelioma as a result of workplace exposures to asbestos. The deceased had worked for 15 years in the Institute’s laboratories and mechanical workshops handling materials containing asbestos as well as removing and disposing of asbestos material, often without adequate protection. See: Tecnico scolastico morì per amianto, ministero risarcirà [School technician died of asbestos, ministry will compensate].

Asbestos Hazard at the Bank

Jun 2, 2025

Initial plans to redevelop the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) 22-storey Sydney headquarters at 65 Martin Place in 2021 had to be significantly revised after the discovery of “‘significant’ quantities of bonded and friable asbestos embedded in the fabric and structure of the building.” The first development application (DA) has now been filed with Sydney officials. It has been predicted that eradicating the asbestos hazard in the 60-year old building could cost tens of millions of dollars. See: RBA Files First DA to Fix $1bn Sydney Asbestos Money Pit.

Sad News from São Paulo

Jun 2, 2025

The death was reported last week of Brazilian trade unionist and state/municipal politician Marcos Martins. He died in a São Paulo hospital on May 25, 2025, aged 79. As a councilman in Osasco, an industrial town near São Paulo, Martins had been a stalwart supporter of the group formed in 1995 by Brazilian asbestos victims, many of who had worked at the Osasco asbestos-cement factory owned by the Eternit Group. When he was a member of São Paulo’s Legislative Assembly, Martins authored Law 12.684/07, which banned the use of asbestos in the state of São Paulo. See: Marcos Martins, ex-deputado estadual e histórico militante do PT, morre aos 79 anos [Marcos Martins, former state deputy and historic PT activist, dies at 79].

Asbestos in Stadium

May 27, 2025

Plans for constructing a new 20,000-seater stadium in Berlin are proceeding despite multiple delays caused by, amongst other things, the recent discovery of large amounts of asbestos material during demolition work on the old sports complex. The fact that the construction company is currently storing the asbestos waste in the city center has led to public outrage. A complaint was filed with the public prosecutor’s office which argued that due to the ubiquitous historic use of asbestos in East Germany, the presence of asbestos on this site should have been anticipated. See: Germany: Berlin Senate gives green light for Jahn-Sportpark redevelopment!

On the Asbestos Frontline!

May 27, 2025

The commentary cited below detailed the decades-long struggle by shipyard worker Pierre Pluta for the rights of the asbestos injured. Seventy-nine year old Pluta began his working life as a mechanic in 1963, aged 17, building the big ships in the Dunkirk shipyards. None of the workers had any idea that the asbestos raining down on them could cause cancer and other diseases. In 1996, Pluta founded the Regional Association for the Defence of Asbestos Victims (ARDEVA) to formalize the fight for justice for his former colleagues; to date, 846 ARDEVA members have died from asbestos-related diseases. See: Scandale de l’amiante: Pierre Pluta, la voix des disparus [Asbestos scandal: Pierre Pluta, the voice of the disappeared].

Legal Victory in Genoa

May 27, 2025

The Court of Appeal in Genoa rejected an appeal from the Ministry of Defense (MoD) on a decision by the Court of La Spezia which had awarded compensation of €200,000+ (US$227,000+) to the family of a worker who died in 2022 from mesothelioma. The deceased had worked for decades at the MoD’s La Spezia Naval Base. The retiree filed the lawsuit after receiving his cancer diagnosis but died before the case had been resolved. See: Amianto, ministero condannato in appello a risarcire oltre 200mila euro [Asbestos, ministry ordered on appeal to pay over 200 thousand euros compensation].

Asbestos Eradication in Capital

May 27, 2025

A public works project in the capital of Cyprus is replacing 98 kilometers of deteriorating asbestos-cement pipes with modern polyethylene pipes. The budget allocated for this program is €9.5m (US$10.8m). The toxic pipes will be replaced across the central areas of Limassol by December 2027. According to the news report, the construction work will generate approximately 44,000 cubic meters of excavated material which will be disposed of at licensed facilities. See: Limassol €9.5m water infrastructure project to replace 98km of aging pipes.

Toxic Talc!

May 27, 2025

Three new lawsuits were filed in a Dallas Court last week by lawyers representing claimants who alleged that their cancers had been caused by the use of asbestos-contaminated talc-based baby powder sold by Johnson & Johnson. According to the article below, this development marked a revival in the “momentum in a historic mass tort after a federal judge blocks Johnson & Johnson’s third bankruptcy gambit.” Tens of thousands of similar cases are pending. See: Johnson & Johnson Hit with New Wave of Talc Lawsuits in Texas After Third Failed Bankruptcy Scheme Backfires in Explosive Mass Tort Comeback.

Prosecution of Asbestos Fly-tippers

May 27, 2025

The toxic legacy of the Soviet occupation of the Czech Republic led the police to begin investigations in 2023 regarding illegal dumping of asbestos waste generated by the demolition of Soviet army buildings in Milovice, a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. According to Seznam Zprávy, a Czech online news website, five people and one construction company are being investigated over the fly-tipping of toxic debris in the forests. Charges of crimes related to environmental damage and illegal handling of hazardous waste are under consideration. See: Полиция предъявила обвинения в нарушении правил утилизации асбеста в Миловице [Police Charge over Violation of Asbestos Disposal Rules in Milovice].

New Medical Facility!

May 23, 2025

On May 20, 2025 a new health resource center was opened on Main Street, Osborne Park, Perth to support a wide variety of medical needs of local people. The personalised general practice, which is located on the premises of the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ASDA) Health Hub, carries on the ADSA’s long tradition of identifying and addressing unmet medical and support needs of injured workers and their families. Commenting on the clinic’s grand opening, ADSA’s CEO Melita Markey said: “Over the years, we’ve received many requests to share our expertise in workers’ and family health with the broader community. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our staff and supporters, this initiative is now a reality.” See: ADSA GP Family and Workers Clinic.

Increasing Capacity for Asbestos Disposal

May 23, 2025

On May 22, 2025, the Environmental Protection Bureau of Miaoli County Council in central Taiwan announced that additional funding from the county government was being sought to increase the capacity of regulated asbestos disposal sites. The amount allocated for this purpose this year by the Ministry of Environment’s Environmental Recycling Agency enabled the disposal of 140 tons of asbestos waste; the county still has 400 tons to be treated. See: 苗栗石棉废弃物处理量能不足环保局将争取县府经费支援 [Miaoli asbestos waste treatment capacity is insufficient, and the Environmental Protection Bureau will seek financial support from the county government].