International Ban Asbestos Secretariat

IBAS Blog by Laurie Kazan-Allen

Last updated April 8, 2026: all blog pages going back to November, 2011 can be accessed from the link.

Recent News Items (Apr 17, 2026)

Asbestos Legacy in Limpopo (Apr 17, 2026, South Africa)

Decades after asbestos mining operations ceased in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, in the north of the country, the health of residents remains endangered by asbestos contamination of local rivers and streams. Asbestos fibers from soil in and around the derelict mines contaminate run-off water and flow into the water sources, especially after heavy rains, in at-risk areas like Mafefe, outside of Lebowakgomo township. According to Mafefe residents “the water now looks cloudy in places or carries visible particles after storms.” See: Silent Killer in the Streams: Limpopo Village Exposed to Asbestos Contamination.

Poznan Project: Update (Apr 17, 2026, Poland)

The April 3, 2026 article cited below reported residents’ concerns regarding the working practices of operatives undertaking renovation work at the Przyjazni Housing Estate in Poznan, Poland. According to the report, there was a visible lack of protective clothing and equipment and little monitoring by specialist supervisors. See: Jest skrajnie niebezpieczny i rakotwórczy. Azbest w Poznaniu nie zostal poprawnie zabezpieczony? "Pyl moze rozsiewac sie po osiedlu" [It’s extremely dangerous and carcinogenic. Was asbestos in Poznan not properly secured? “Dust can spread throughout the neighborhood”].

Asbestos Stops Work (Apr 17, 2026, Sweden)

The Swedish real estate company Signalisten announced that renovation work would be postponed on a building on Hagalundsgatan, a residential street in Solna, Stockholm, due to “an extensive discovery of asbestos.” Technical investigations and sampling carried out prior to the start of renovation work had underestimated the scale of the contamination. Asbestos removal work will be needed throughout the building. See: Signalisten avbryter delar av entreprenad på grund av asbest [Signalisten cancels parts of construction due to asbestos].

Illegal Asbestos Sales (Apr 17, 2026, Norway)

In the article cited below it was reported that chrysotile (white) asbestos stones were being sold by a “specialist alternative shop” in Lillestrøm, Noway owned by Tom Ole Holth who claimed that they promote “honesty and sincerity” despite national and EU prohibitions. When contacted by the reporter, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Environment Agency confirmed that chrysotile was a prohibited substance under EU regulation REACH Annex XVII item 28. See: Selger forbudt, kreftfremkallende stoff over disk: – Finnes ikke farlig [Selling banned, carcinogenic substance over the counter: – Not found dangerous].

Scottish Asbestos Ruling (Apr 17, 2026, UK)

In a ruling by Lord Harrower in the Outer House of the Court of Session, Scotland the Court apportioned liability for mesothelioma contracted by a 56-year old retired labourer between two former employers. MCM Building & Civil Engineering Construction Ltd was ordered to pay 0.01% of the damages while Pyramid Joinery & Construction Ltd was ordered to pay 99.908%. The claimant had been negligently exposed to asbestos by both defenders but the exposure experienced between 1999 and 2003 during employment by the second defender (Pyramid) was substantially more than that during the 1.5-day period of exposure caused by the first defender. See: Outer House splits liability for asbestos damages between two employers by nearly 99.9 to 0.1 percent ratio.

Mesothelioma Research: Update (Apr 17, 2026, Denmark)

A paper published on March 28, 2026 by Danish and Norwegian researchers detailed their investigation of the use of checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) as a “diagnostic biomarker to distinguish pleural mesothelioma (PM) from non-neoplastic mesothelial cells (NNMC) in both cytology and histology specimens.” They concluded that CHK1 immunohistochemical assessment was useful in some PM cases but qualified their findings saying further research was recommended. See: Checkpoint Kinase 1 Protein (CHK1) as a Diagnostic Marker for Pleural Mesothelioma.

[See also News Item Archive: http://ibasecretariat.org/abs_archive_news.php (June 2009 to present)]

Recent Articles (Apr 16, 2026)

The 16 most recent articles can be accessed from the IBAS home page, but please see below for abstracts and direct links to the latest articles.

Malaysia’s Public Health under Threat: Groups Warn vs. Foreign Asbestos Industry Hijacking National Phase-out

Apr 16, 2026. Abstract: On April 2, 2026 a news release was featured on the website of the Building and Wood Workers’ International which expressed the serious concerns of dozens of civil society groups about foreign intervention in the democratic process to derail well-established plans to end asbestos import and use in Malaysia. The global mouthpiece representing asbestos vested interests – the International Chrysotile Association (ICA) – was accused of “once again attempting to hijack our national policy” and subvert work to implement national prohibitions. “Banning asbestos is,” the text said “fundamentally a matter of national interest… Our fate and our health must be decided by Malaysians, for Malaysians. Leave no room for the asbestos industry to dictate our future.”

Cambodia’s Road to Asbestos Phase-out

Apr 14, 2026. Abstract: On April 2, 2026, 300 delegates convened in Cambodia’s capital for a government-sponsored consultation to examine the country’s strategy for implementing asbestos prohibitions. Central to the discussions was a 60-page publication launched at the meeting: the Economic Impact Assessment Related to the Use of Asbestos (EIA). To this end, one of the EIA’s authors was in attendance to answer questions. The Executive Summary of the EIA was uncompromising in its findings: “The economic assessment of a proposed ban on asbestos containing materials and raw asbestos fibres was found to be economically viable, with the health benefits from avoided disease far outweighing the cost of implementation and transition by a ratio of 4:1, even under conservative assumptions.”

Historians Unearth a Conflict of Interest, Prompting a Retraction by The Lancet Journal

Apr 7, 2026. Abstract: A timely and informative article by Merlin Chowkwanyun, PhD, MPH from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City has been reproduced on this website with the author’s blessing. The text reported a rare retraction by The Lancet, “one of the oldest and most prestigious academic journals,” of an unsigned 1997 commentary that discounted the hazard posed by the use of personal hygiene products contaminated with asbestos. The disavowal of the commentary resulted from a discovery made by American researchers – Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner – who were able to provide evidence showing that the contentious text had been written by a consultant paid by Johnson & Johnson, who had shared the draft with company officials and made changes based on their comments.

Comments and Recommendations regarding Draft Guidance on Asbestos in Drinking Water

Apr 1, 2026. Abstract: On January 23 2026, the Canadian government uploaded a 64-page document entitled: Draft Guidance on Asbestos in Drinking Water at the start of a 60-day public consultation process. Interested stakeholders were invited to submit comments before March 24, 2026. The joint submission by Prevent Cancer Now, Canadian Environmental Law Association and Friends of the Earth Canada is informative not only about the current situation in Canada but also has implications for people in many other jurisdictions who are dealing with the adverse fallout from the continuing use of deteriorating asbestos-cement water pipes. We are very grateful for the permission received to upload this document.

The Death Throes of the Asbestos Industry

Mar 26, 2026. Abstract: For the first time since 1950, annual global asbestos production fell to less than a million tonnes in 2024. This was not a blip, as the low level of production was repeated the following year. Dwindling global output generates less money for propaganda campaigns, international love-ins and aggressive political lobbying by asbestos stakeholders. Industry-funded bodies, such as the International Chrysotile Association, are hanging on by their fingertips; many of these industry fronts have been dissolved or disappeared. The simple chart featured in this article is an accurate and useful depiction of the truth denied by vested interests: the asbestos industry is terminal. The sooner the plug is pulled, the better.

[See also Article Abstract Archive: http://ibasecretariat.org/abs_archive_articles.php (April 2007 to present)]