News Archive

The link below is to an interview with NY investigative journalist Gardiner Harris whose new book: “No More Tears: The Dark Secrets Of Johnson & Johnson (J&J),” reveals key J&J scandals including the company’s predatory marketing techniques, suppression of research findings and deadly decision-making processes which supported the continued sale of asbestos-containing talc-based powder and other pharmaceuticals decades after the human health hazards were known. See: ‘No More Tears’ author discusses Johnson & Johnson's questionable business practices.

Asbestos-cement Water Pipes Alert

Apr 16, 2025

According to Ömer Fethi Gürer, a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and a member of the TURKPA Commission on Environment, Natural Resources and Health Protection, 2,700 kilometers of drinking water pipes in Turkey are still made of asbestos-cement. They should, he said, be replaced as a matter of urgency because of the hazard they posed to human health. Over the last 15 years, 82% of asbestos water pipes – equal to 15,000 kilometers – have been replaced in Turkey. See: CHP'li Gürer duyurdu: '2 bin 700 kilometrelik içme suyu borusu asbestli' [CHP's Gürer announced: ‘2,700 kilometers of drinking water pipes are asbestos’].

Asbestos Alert!

Apr 16, 2025

Trade union representatives at garage workshops in Molenbeek, in the Brussels capital region of Belgium, reported concerns over the presence of asbestos at the workplace. The premises were owned by the Brussels Public Transport Company (the STIB). As a precautionary measure, the company announced that the 80 workers from the Molenbeek premises, would be relocated temporarily until testing and decontamination efforts had been completed. See: Amiante dans un atelier de la Stib à Molenbeek: le niveau inférieur à la norme requise, le personnel déménagera "par précaution" [Asbestos in a STIB workshop in Molenbeek: level not meeting required standard, the staff will move “as a precaution”].

Asbestos in Schools

Apr 16, 2025

According to NY Mayoral candidate Brad Lander, who is currently New York City Comptroller, in 2023-24 the Department of Education failed to carry out mandatory inspections of 82% of the city’s 1,700 school buildings. Commenting on the potential deadly consequences of this oversight for school users Lander said: “No level of exposure is safe, and prolonged exposure to asbestos during childhood can cause lung disease and can cause cancer.” See: Over 80% of NYC public schools built with asbestos were not inspected from 2023-2024, audit shows.

Victory for Puglia Asbestos Victims

Apr 16, 2025

Five years after a former soldier died from the asbestos cancer mesothelioma, the final ruling of the Trani Court was handed down; his widow was awarded a lump sum of €400,000 (~US$451,000) plus a monthly pension of €2,400 (~US$2,707) from Italy’s Ministry of Defense. The deceased had been a military radio operator and his death on February 10, 2020 was, the Court agreed, caused by toxic exposures during his service, making him a “victim of duty.” See: Militare morto per amianto in Puglia: il Ministero risarcirà la vedova con 400mila euro e 2400 euro al mese [Death of soldier in Puglia due to asbestos: the Ministry will compensate his widow with 400 thousand euros and 2400 euros per month].

Asbestos Prosecution in Manchester

Apr 16, 2025

Following a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive, self-employed roofing contractor Stephen Wilks was found guilty of breaching asbestos safety regulations after work carried out under his supervision in Altrincham, Greater Manchester in February 2022 led to the contamination of a residential area with asbestos-containing materials. As a result of his failure to comply with safety requirements, the health of two young workers and local residents was put at risk. Wilks was sentenced to pay £3,500+ (US$4,600) in costs and a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work, by Ashton-Under-Lyne Magistrates Court. See: Tradesman fined after asbestos roof dumped in bin.

Asbestos Medical Outreach

Apr 14, 2025

The article cited below reported on the second phase of an asbestos outreach project in a former asbestos mining town in the northeast of Brazil. The results of a screening project organized in 2024 by the Public Ministry of Labor, the Brazilian Association of Asbestos Exposed and the Association of Asbestos-Contaminated Victims and Exposed Families showed that of the 584 people evaluated: 66 were diagnosed with one or more asbestos-related diseases; 30% of participants reported occupational exposures to asbestos; 70% reported environmental exposures. See: Estudo revela impactos do amianto na saúde da população do sudoeste baiano – MPT-BA [Study reveals impacts of asbestos on the health of the population of southwestern Bahia – MPT-BA].

Post-disaster Asbestos Hazard

Apr 14, 2025

Concerns over asbestos contamination following massive earthquakes in Turkey in 2023 have risen to new levels. Findings just reported from research undertaken in May 2024 show that airborne asbestos levels in earthquake areas “were well above the respirable fiber concentration limits determined by the United Nations World Health Organization in 1998.” Safety measures which were recommended by the researchers included: the use of wet working methods, isolation of demolition areas and the use of personal protective equipment by workers. See: Bir il deprem sonrası alarm verdi: Tehlike seviyelerine ulaştı [Province sounds alarm over aftermath of earthquake: danger levels reached].

Asbestos Removal Subsidies

Apr 14, 2025

This year Sokcho City, in the northeast of Gangwon Province, South Korea, allocated financial resources for the removal of asbestos-cement roofing from 87 buildings, including 81 residential and 6 commercial properties. Eligible property owners must apply to the municipality for grants of up to 2.32m won (US$ 2,380). According to the official press release: “The purpose of this project is to prevent health damage caused by asbestos exposure by supporting the cost of demolition and disposal of old asbestos-cement roofs…” See: 속초시, 2025년도 슬레이트 처리 지원사업 추진 [Sokcho City Promotes 2025 Slate Processing Support].

JH on the Move Again!

Apr 14, 2025

Plans by James Hardie (JH), Australia’s one-time asbestos giant, to merge with the US outdoor decking group Azek, are under investigation by the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia. JH is notorious for its efforts to off-load financial liabilities for the damage it has done. After years of dispute with the Australian government, a multibillion dollar compensation fund was set up to ensure that damages would be paid to the injured. Given JH’s relocation to Holland, Ireland and the US, the distrust expressed by the ADSA’s CEO Melita Markey is understandable: “We will need some very strong assurances that all of that [the compensation fund] will remain as it is.” See [subscription site]: Asbestos victims want compensation assurances from James Hardie.

Asbestos at Embassy

Apr 14, 2025

Following asbestos tests carried out in 2024 at the Cultural Center of the Spanish Embassy in Washington, D.C., high levels of airborne asbestos fibers were found. This month, Spain’s Council of Ministers approved an emergency budget of $155,646 for specialist contractors to remove asbestos from the Center “to prevent the continued deterioration of the areas and an increase in the airborne concentration.” Last month, the Association of Spanish Diplomats denounced “the poor condition” of many of Spain’s embassies and consulates, saying they posed “a serious risk to both the people who work there and the public who visit them.” See: More than €144,000 to remove asbestos from the Cultural Center of Embassy in the US.

Asbestos Contamination in Yeongdeok

Apr 14, 2025

Personnel from the Korea Asbestos Safety Association, a non-profit asbestos specialist corporation operating under the Ministry of Environment, continue to play an important role in assisting emergency workers at premises damaged by recent wildfires in Yeongdeok-gun county in South Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province. In a statement by Yeongdeok County Governor Kim Gwang-yeol, he explained: “Based on the association’s expertise, the investigation into dangerous and difficult asbestos-cement structures is proceeding quickly, which is a great help in the subsequent demolition and restoration work. See: 한국석면안전협회, 영덕군 산불 피해 복구 지원 [Korea Asbestos Safety Association, Yeongdeok-gun wildfire damage recovery support].

Asbestos Banned in Schools

Apr 10, 2025

India’s Education Ministry banned the use of asbestos in schools as a precautionary measure to protect students and staff from exposures to a carcinogenic substance. Commenting on the prohibition, Minister of State for Education, Jayant Singh Chaudhary said: “I hope this starts a movement to gradually phase out asbestos use throughout the country and we build a healthier and cancer-free nation for our children.” Asbestos-cement roofing has been widely used on public as well as private buildings throughout India. Its use has also been banned at railway stations. Data collected from 83 Indian hospitals identified 2,213 cases of the signature asbestos cancer mesothelioma between 2012 and 2022. See: Exclusive | Education Ministry Issues Ban On Using Asbestos In KVs And JNV.

Parliamentary Asbestos Hearing

Apr 10, 2025

Evidence submitted on March 24, 2025 to a Parliamentary hearing on the legacy of Cape Intermediate Holdings (Cape Asbestos) conducted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health is now online. The testimony now available includes comments by: trade unions: NEU and NASUWT; victims’ campaigners: the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum, John Flanagan, Nevyn Stevenson; experts: Dr Robin Rudd, Professor Peter Szlozarek, Chris Chambers, Peter Gartside, Sarah Lyons and Harminder Bains. A full transcript of the meeting is also accessible. See: Evidence: Public hearing on legacy of Cape asbestos.

Post-disaster Asbestos Hazard!

Apr 10, 2025

The April 6, 2025 article cited below highlighted the environmental contamination caused by asbestos liberated during recent wildfires in Korea’s Gyeongbuk Province. According to a new report by the Environmental Health Citizens' Center and the Korea Asbestos Eradication Network: “most of the houses and warehouses destroyed by the wildfire had cement roofs containing asbestos, and it is highly likely that a large amount of asbestos dust was scattered in the air when they burned… This means that demolition workers, volunteers involved in restoration work, and even evacuees could be exposed.” See: 경북 북동부 산불 폐기물…“처리 비용만 1500억 이상” [Wildfire waste in northeastern Gyeongbuk Province... “The disposal cost alone is more than 150 billion”].

Righting a Wrong

Apr 10, 2025

Just a handful of the thousands of UK victims who contract asbestos-related lung cancer every year receive support or compensation for their injuries. This dichotomy between their treatment and that of sufferers of mesothelioma, the signature asbestos cancer, was the focus of comments made by Solicitor Daniel Easton in a recent blog. “There is,” he wrote “no justifiable reason why sufferers of asbestos-related lung cancer should not receive the same support from the law as those who have mesothelioma.” See: Blog: Time to treat victims of workplace asbestos cancers fairly.

Grant for Radiotherapy Research

Apr 10, 2025

A prestigious medical grant of A$100,000 has been received by West Australian researcher Dr Alistair Cook to “investigate how low-dose radiotherapy can improve immunotherapy outcomes, with potential benefits for patients who don’t currently respond to treatment” including those with the asbestos cancer mesothelioma. The grant will be used to support a project which will, Dr Cook said, “help us understand how broadly applicable our treatment is, and can take us one step closer to running a clinical trial in people with not only mesothelioma, but a wider range of tumours that are currently hard to treat.” See: Boosting immunotherapy: NCARD researcher receives Tour de Cure grant.

Raising Occupational Asbestos Awareness

Apr 10, 2025

Asbestos training has begun in Balıkesir, a city in the Marmara region of Turkey for scores of operatives working for the Balıkesir Water and Sewerage Administration (BASKI) who are involved with the replacement of deteriorating and end-of-life asbestos-containing pipes. To date, BASKI employees from the Bandırma and Edremit districts have taken part in the asbestos removal training program under the supervision of the General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. See: BASKİ’den personeline asbest söküm eğitimi [Asbestos removal training for BASKI personnel].

A Deadly Legacy

Apr 7, 2025

The excellent commentary cited below explored the consequences of South Africa’s asbestos legacy. Between 1910 and 2002, 10 million+ tons of asbestos was produced at various chrysotile (white), crocidolite (blue) and amosite (brown) South African asbestos mines: “The profits were not only good, they were also immense.” Today in derelict asbestos mining towns like Msauli former workers, local people and communities pay the price for the riches reaped by the historic exploitation of this known carcinogen. A government scheme set up to compensate workers is underfunded and cumbersome and “the public healthcare system is unable to cope with the growing demand for specialist respiratory and cancer treatment.” See: The forgotten cost of asbestos.

New Asbestos Resource

Apr 7, 2025

An interactive map compiled by the Asbestos Information CIC identifying asbestos contamination and the incidence of asbestos cancer constituency-by-constituency was uploaded last week. According to the research: “there are at least 150 million asbestos items hidden in public buildings across the UK.” Campaigners are calling on the Westminster government to support plans for a national asbestos database as part of a comprehensive program to eradicate the asbestos hazard from the built environment. See: Do you live in an asbestos hotspot? Interactive map reveals levels of deadly material in your area with one town's deaths EIGHT times higher than road traffic accidents.

Making the Polluter Pay?

Apr 7, 2025

In mid-March, a hearing was held in the Flemish parliament regarding the responsibilities of former asbestos producers. Unsurprisingly, Eternit, Belgium’s “Asbestos Giant,” argued vociferously against the proposed imposition of a mandatory obligation for polluters to pay for remediation efforts needed as a result of their historic processing of asbestos. It has been estimated that it would cost 100 million euros a year for twenty years to remove Eternit asbestos from Flemish territory. The company rejected these requests as “disproportionate.” In response, members of the Environment Committee passed a resolution seeking legal advice on government options. See: Vlaamse meerderheid en oppositie willen asbestproducenten meer laten betalen [Flemish majority and opposition want asbestos producers to pay more].

J&J: Strike 3!

Apr 7, 2025

On March 31, 2025, US Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez rejected Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J’s) $10 billion proposal to settle tens of thousands of cancer lawsuits alleging that asbestos in J&J’s talc-based baby powder had caused ovarian and other cancers. This was the third time J&J’s bankruptcy strategy was kicked out of a Texas court. According to plaintiffs’ lawyer Andy Birchfield, J&J’s “bankruptcy strategy was nothing more than a bad-faith maneuver to avoid full accountability.” “With this ruling,” Birchfield added, “we are now moving forward without delay to trial, where our clients will finally have the chance to present their cases before a jury and obtain the justice they deserve.” See: US judge rejects J&J’s US$10 billion baby powder settlement.

International Asbestos Conference

Apr 7, 2025

The 4th International Seminar on Surveillance of Asbestos Exposed Persons: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Health, Work and the Environment is being held in Rio de Janeiro on April 8 and 9, 2025. The event is being organized by The Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health (ENSP/Fiocruz), the Labor Prosecutor's Office (MPT), the Brazilian Association of Asbestos Exposed Persons (ABREA), and partnering organizations at home and abroad. The packed agenda will feature speakers from Brazil, Italy, Australia, Colombia, Portugal, and the US. See: Exposição ao amianto é tema de seminário internacional [Asbestos exposure is topic of an international seminar].

Asbestos Alert in Tuscany

Apr 7, 2025

Asbestos contamination was revealed under flooring in classrooms as a result of major renovation work at the Fedi-Fermi state technological institute in Pistoia, Tuscany. The unwelcome surprise triggered health and safety inspections and an immediate intervention by regional officials who acted promptly to implement urgent precautionary measures to protect workers and building users. See: Amianto al Fedi Fermi: "Ora interventi urgenti". Misure igienico-sanitarie. La scoperta degli operai [Asbestos at Fedi Fermi: “Urgent interventions now.” Hygienic-sanitary measures. Workers' discovery].

Asbestos Ban in All Schools

Apr 1, 2025

On March 28, 2025, a spokesperson for India’s Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (Central Schools Organisation) announced that the use of asbestos in construction and/or refurbishment projects in schools throughout the country had been banned by order of the Ministry of Education. Commenting on this prohibition, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said: “I was sensitised to the dangers of prolonged exposure to asbestos for children by scientists working in this arena…Safe learning environments are non-negotiable.” See: Govt bans use of asbestos in KVs, Navodaya Vidyalayas.