News Archive

The October 28, 2025 blog by Fernanda Giannasi cited below reported the latest disappointing development at Brazil’s Supreme Court (STF) which has, yet again, postponed the decision on a case regarding the unconstitutionality of a State law contravening the 2017 national asbestos ban ordered by the Court. On October 27, 2025 STF Justice André Mendonça declined to cast his ballot in the legal action and claimed that an additional review of the facts was needed. Five votes have already upheld the illegality of the Goiás State exemption which allowed asbestos mining to continue despite the STF ban. See: Amianto: André Mendonça pede vistas e atrasa processo pelo banimento, por Fernanda Giannasi [Asbestos: André Mendonça requests review and delays ban process, by Fernanda Giannasi].

Asbestos Pipes in Sardinia

Nov 3, 2025

Local Sardinian politician Giampaolo Lilliu has denounced the continued use of 9,000 kilometers of asbestos-cement pipes in the territory of Oristano. He demanded that the Sicilian authorities undertake an updated audit of the number and condition of contaminated pipes used for water delivery and analyze the quality of water supplied to islanders. See: “In Sardegna novemila chilometri di condotte in amianto”: gli ex esposti Areas rilanciano l’allarme [“Nine thousand kilometers of asbestos pipes in Sardinia”: former Areas exposed raise the alarm].

Asbestos in the White House?

Nov 3, 2025

In the aftermath of the sudden demolition of the East Wing of the White House, news began circulating about the presence of asbestos in the demolished structure. The work had been ordered by President Donald Trump to clear the way for the construction of a massive new ballroom. Multiple critics have expressed concern over the lack of transparency regarding the planning for and permissions obtained for the President’s “vanity project.” Given the age of the East Wing, it is likely that asbestos was used in its construction. See: Trump’s crew may be spreading asbestos with unpermitted White House teardown: expert.

Uproar in Cleckheaton!

Nov 3, 2025

Residents from the Yorkshire town of Cleckheaton have grown increasingly frustrated by Kirklees Council’s failure to engage in a discussion about the environmental contamination caused by development work. Protestors have complained of asbestos, arsenic, lead and cyanide contamination which “has already resulted in negative health impacts.” According to an October 15 statement by Cleckheaton Against Harmful Development: “Despite repeated complaints, there has been no official testing inside homes, no professional cleaning, and no health screening or medical support for affected families.” See: Pressure grows on Labour council ‘silencing and abandoning’ residents facing toxic asbestos danger.

Victim’s Verdict!

Nov 3, 2025

In a stunning judicial ruling, the Second Panel of the Regional Labor Court of the 6th Region (TRT-6) in Brazil reversed a lower court verdict and awarded a family compensation for the asbestos-related death of a construction worker, 45 years after he had been occupationally exposed to asbestos. The Court concluded that there was sufficient evidence about the deceased’s exposure to asbestos and that this exposure had compromised this worker's pulmonary system and caused his death. See: Segunda Turma do TRT-6 concede indenização por danos morais à família de trabalhador vítima de exposição ao amianto [Second Panel of the TRT-6 awards compensation for moral damages to the family of a worker who was a victim of asbestos exposure].

Mesothelioma Incidence in Casale Monferrato

Nov 3, 2025

The paper cited below was published earlier this month in the Journal of Environmental Health by a team of researchers from Italy and Columbia. Data sourced from the Piedmont Malignant Mesothelioma Registry was used to analyze mesothelioma trends in Casale Monferrato, the epicenter of Italy’s mesothelioma epidemic. The scientists concluded that mesothelioma deaths will continue to occur in this location for at least 20+ years even though asbestos use was banned in Italy in 1992. See: The evolution of an epidemic: age-period-cohort modelling of mesothelioma in Casale Monferrato, 1990–2021, with projections to 2042.

Asbestos in Schools

Oct 30, 2025

Funding from international donors facilitated the removal of deteriorating asbestos roofing from the Don Bosco technical school and staff housing in Makuya, Kenya. The premises were used regularly by 1,000 local people, not only for educational purposes but also for community and religious activities When asked about the improvements, one school user said that the [eradication] “project has given us peace of mind knowing that all the students and staff are no longer exposed to hazardous asbestos.” See: KENYA: Don Bosco Makuya replaces school roof thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions.

Unsafe Asbestos Removal Practices

Oct 30, 2025

Last week, the Dutch Labor Inspectorate warned that recent inspections had revealed that more than a third of the 18 certified companies responsible for post-asbestos removal inspections had failed to comply with asbestos removal regulations – resulting in buildings being declared safe despite the presence of asbestos residues. According to the reported data, there are ~80,000 asbestos inspections conducted in the Netherlands every year. The Inspectorate is considering measures to improve compliance rates. See: One in three asbestos inspection firms in the Netherlands are failing to ensure safety.

Asbestos Protest in Seoul!

Oct 30, 2025

On October 21, 2025, activists mounted a protest in Seoul, South Korea, calling for an asbestos-free Asia Pacific and demanding that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) act urgently on Asia’s asbestos hazard. Commenting on the event, campaigner Choi Ye-yong said: “In a few days, APEC leaders will be gathering in South Korea for a series of high-level meetings culminating with the APEC annual summit… The continued use of asbestos is contrary not just to APEC’s core objectives but also to the human rights of every individual…” See: APEC 2차 캠페인 - 석면없는 아시아태평양 만들어라 [APEC 2nd Campaign – Create an Asbestos-Free Asia-Pacific].

Wittenoom: Toxic Eyesore, Sacred Land

Oct 30, 2025

Earlier this month, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported the latest developments in the sorry tale of Wittenoom, West Australia, a region despoiled by years of blue asbestos mining and milling operations. Wittenoom's traditional owners, the Banjima tribe, are preparing to sue the State government over widespread contamination in and around the 46,000 hectares which were the location of the now “disappeared” town. A new documentary: Yurlu | Country about the fight to reclaim this land was reviewed in the following citation. See: Wittenoom asbestos contamination prompts legal threat from Banjima traditional owners.

Workplace Asbestos Hazard

Oct 30, 2025

New data from Ontario’s Asbestos Workers Registry (AWR) has found a serious system failure which is resulting in occupational exposures to asbestos despite the national ban and multiple asbestos regulations. Much-needed improvements, an AWR report said, were: more stringent controls informed by increased worker participation, more and better safety training, and streamlined responses to asbestos discoveries. The authors urgently recommended the need for earlier interventions to protect workers from contracting asbestos-related diseases. See: Asbestos Is Banned—But Its Harm Isn’t. Intervene Sooner, says New Ontario Study.

Failures in Asbestos Management

Oct 30, 2025

An article in the current issue of Education Business magazine emphasized the need for “for strong leadership, robust training and a culture of compliance” in the management of asbestos in schools. “Asbestos should,” the author wrote “be viewed as a critical safeguarding issue in education, not an administrative afterthought.” Although progress has been made, a significant number of schools were still not complying with government regulations. The most common failings were inadequate or missing asbestos management plans, and inadequate or missing asbestos surveys. See: Asbestos: a hidden threat demanding visible action.

Update from Turin!

Oct 24, 2025

The latest development in the long running saga that is the battle by Italian asbestos victims to hold Swiss asbestos billionaire Stephen Schmidhieny to account for damage done by the operations of Italian factories owned by the Swiss Eternit Asbestos Group was a Turin Court of Appeal ruling last month which found him guilty of the asbestos deaths of dozens of workers and residents. The defendant was sentenced to 9.5 years for the manslaughter of 91 people. See: Eternit bis, i giudici su Schmidheiny: “Sapeva dei rischi ma scelse di ignorarli” [Eternit retrial: Judges on Schmidheiny: “He knew the risks but chose to ignore them”].

Asbestos Alert!

Oct 24, 2025

A commentary in the Guardian newspaper on October 20, 2025 highlighted the fallout from the continued failure to address the UK’s deadly asbestos legacy. According to the author Tom White, much of the 6 million tonnes of asbestos imported into the UK during the 20th century remains hidden within the national infrastructure. This toxic material is deteriorating; as it does so, carcinogenic fibers are liberated thereby endangering the health of anyone in the vicinity such as workers, building users and members of the public. The laissez-faire attitude towards asbestos in the UK was compared unfavorably to policies adopted by governments in Korea and Australia to minimize toxic exposures. See: It’s still killing people, and the government has yet to act: Britain’s hidden asbestos epidemic.

Canari’s “Project of the Century”

Oct 24, 2025

According to business owners in Canari, Corsica, the ongoing asbestos decontamination work on the site of the island’s former asbestos factory – termed the “Construction Project of the Century” – has not been a boon to local businesses. Although the authorities promised that 15% of the budget, €1+ million (US$1.16m), would go to islanders, anecdotal evidence shows that most of the companies employed at the site were from mainland France. See: Démolition de l'usine d'amiante de Canari: les entreprises corses relativisent l'impact économique [Demolition of the Canari asbestos factory: Corsican companies put the economic impact into perspective].

New Asbestos Trade Data

Oct 24, 2025

Data obtained last week from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed a remarkable development in asbestos imports. In the aftermath of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Brazil became the largest asbestos exporter to India, the world’s largest asbestos market. This position had for many years been held by Russian producers. While Brazil was India’s largest supplier in 2022-23 and 2023-24 exporting 175,994 tonnes [t] and 155,437t respectively compared to Russia’s 96,306t and 129,700t, in 2024-25 Russia resumed its traditional position sending 192,611t to India compared to Brazil’s 133,807t. In recent years, Kazakhstan’s asbestos exports to India also increased from 1,010t in 2020-21 to a peak of 25,168t in 2021-22 before falling in 2024-25 to 19,528t. See: Indian Asbestos Imports 2017-2025.

Asbestos in Schools

Oct 24, 2025

Asbestos contamination of schools in Italy remains widespread; ~5% of the country’s schools, used by 352,000 students and 50,000 teachers and school staff, are affected. Campaigners are petitioning Giuseppe Valditara, the Minister of Education, to implement a nationwide program to prioritize the eradication of the asbestos hazard from the educational infrastructure, provide health monitoring of staff and students, and set up a compensation protocol for the injured. See: Asbestos, thousands of schools contaminated: Italy is lagging behind in removal.

Removal of Asbestos from Schools too Slow

Oct 24, 2025

On October 15, 2025, new data was published by the Ministry of Education which showed that the number of schools in South Korea still containing asbestos exceeded 1,725. According to national guidelines, asbestos removal work at schools is carried out during vacations so as not to disrupt the work of the schools. Critics say that due to the slow speed of progress in eradicating the hazard, the deadline of 2027 for the asbestos decontamination of schools is looking in jeopardy. See: 전국 유치원·학교 1725곳에 '석면'…"2027년까지 제거는 현실적으로 어려워" [‘Asbestos’ in 1,725 kindergartens and schools across the country... “realistically it will be difficult to remove by 2027”].

Victim’s Verdict in Lecce

Oct 20, 2025

Earlier this month, Judge Daniele Gallucci of the Civil Court of Lecce, southern Italy ordered the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to pay compensation of €1 million (US $1.16m) to the family of an 80-year old mesothelioma victim. The MoD was also ordered to pay legal costs of €18,000+ as well as other unspecified costs. According to the judge, there was a causal link between the deceased’s asbestos cancer and the exposure to asbestos he experienced between 1954 and 1994 during his naval service. See: Il Tribunale di Lecce condanna il Ministero della Difesa: 1 mln di euro ai familiari dell’operaio morto per amianto [The Court of Lecce condemns the Ministry of Defense: 1 million euros to the family of the worker who died of asbestos].

Good News from the DMPS!

Oct 20, 2025

According to news released by the Department for Work and Pensions, compensation tariffs paid under the UK’s Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS), the last resort for mesothelioma victims unable to obtain compensation from former employers, will be increased by 49%. When the DMPS was set up in 2014, claimants received 80% of an average compensation payout; this was increased in 2015 to 100% with a fixed award of £7,000 for legal costs. Since then, payments have lagged behind increasing court awards and inflation. While more improvements are still needed, campaigning solicitors welcomed these changes. See: Asbestos claims lawyers welcome increase to Mesothelioma Scheme awards.

Asbestos on EU Agenda

Oct 20, 2025

The text cited below described a September 24, 2025 workshop entitled: Asbestos – Europe's Silent Killer – The Fight Isn't Over which took place at the European Parliament headquarters in Brussels. The session was organized by Per Clausen, a Member of the European Parliament representing the eco-socialist political party from Denmark: Enhedslisten. During this event, a powerful new asbestos documentary – Moral Fibre / La Fibra Sensible – by Spanish film director Isabel Andrés Portí was screened. Following the film, representatives of Belgian asbestos victims, trade unionists and MEPs had a wide-ranging discussion about the deadly hazard posed by asbestos material hidden within EU countries. See: The Commission's “simplification” agenda should not become “simply” dying from Asbestos.

Psychological Needs of Asbestos Patients

Oct 20, 2025

Between 2021-2022, a team of Italian researchers examined the psychological impact of asbestos exposures among 362 at-risk workers participating in the Tuscany Region’s health surveillance program. The focus of this investigation was: risk perception, emotional distress and evaluation of available health services. The co-authors of the paper cited below highlighted the “need for integrated mental health support within health surveillance programs” and recommended that psychological interventions, including counselling and education, be provided as well as medical monitoring. See: The psychological impact of asbestos exposure: risk perception and emotional distress among former workers in Tuscany.

Asbestos Contamination in Catagena

Oct 20, 2025

Responses from 305 residents from 30 asbestos-affected low-middle income neighborhoods of Cartagena, Colombia were used to quantify awareness of the hazard posed by living in premises containing asbestos material. Asbestos-cement roofing was found in 87.5% of the homes studied. Although 55.8% of the people questioned recognized the health hazard, few took precautionary measures when dealing with the toxic material. The authors concluded that: “residential asbestos exposure remains a major health risk in these communities.” See: Asbestos Exposure in Low-Middle Income Communities of Cartagena, Colombia: A Survey of Knowledge, Practices, and Environmental Contamination.

Asbestos Alert in Auckland

Oct 17, 2025

On the evening of Friday, October 10, 2025, Auckland’s Pitt Street fire station was closed after firefighters had discovered asbestos contamination. Pending tests to quantify the problem, specialist vehicles and equipment at the station would be out of service said Martin Campbell, the Vice President of New Zealand’s Professional Firefighters’ Union, who was critical of the poor management and leadership which had led to toxic working conditions at the station. On Saturday, specialist operatives were brought in to the premises to begin air monitoring and swab testing. See: Union wants answers after discovery of asbestos at central Auckland fire station.

Asbestos & Lung Cancer Research: Update

Oct 17, 2025

Feedback from Canadian trade unionists informed the choice of research projects which succeeded in obtaining Workplace Cancer Research Grants from The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) in 2025. Of the four grants, worth a total of C$800,000 (US$571,000) awarded earlier this month, two will support research into workplace asbestos exposures and lung cancer. The funded project led by Dr. Nathan DeBono of Ontario Health, will examine “the effectiveness of lung cancer screening among construction workers exposed to asbestos.” The one led by Dr. Paul Demers will quantify the total costs of all Canadian cases of occupational lung cancer in 2026. See: Canadian Cancer Society funds new research tackling workplace cancers.