News Archive

For the first time, a claim for an occupational asbestos death of a Japanese salesperson who handled cosmetic products was recognized by the Sendai Labor Standards Inspection Office. The deceased was 68 years old when she died from malignant pleural mesothelioma. She was exposed to asbestos which was contained in the talc used to produce many of the cosmetic products she handled at work between March 1974 and June 1977. See: 化粧品にアスベスト混入の可能性中皮腫発症した元販売員の労災認定 [Possibility of asbestos contamination in cosmetics. Workers' compensation certification of a former salesperson who developed mesothelioma].

Asbestos Alert!

Mar 30, 2026

A link to a German article uploaded on March 23, 2026 detailed the results of recent laboratory tests which showed trace contamination of tremolite asbestos in 9 decorative and play sand products but up to 5% tremolite and chrysotile asbestos contamination in one product: Heku High-quality dark blue decorative sand (Art. No. 30330-18) (see: Table. The Tested Products). Voluntary recalls were ordered by multiple suppliers of the contaminated products in Germany. See: Asbest-Alarm in Sandprodukten [Asbestos alert in sand products].

Update: Test Results

Mar 30, 2026

Tests commissioned of 99 play sand products by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) showed mixed results. Whilst no asbestos was found in the majority of products (65), trace amounts – 0.000005 to 0.01% – were found in 29 products. According to the NVWA: “This is below the legal limit of 0.1%. In 5 products, more asbestos was found than the legal limit. This concerns amounts ranging from 0.15 to 0.42%.” The sale of these products was prohibited. Additional products were being investigated. See: NVWA investigation: majority of play sand meets standards.

Controversy over AC Pipes

Mar 30, 2026

The March 21, 2026 commentary by Vancouver Island resident Susan Blacklin which is cited below expressed concern over the continuing use of asbestos-cement pipes in the water delivery system on the island. Blacklin believed that the lack of national drinking water regulations in Canada is indicative of the federal Government’s long-term failure to address fundamental public health challenges: “It is easy,” she wrote “not to find evidence of harm when you do not look for it. It is easy not to find asbestos in water when you do not test for it.” See: Asbestos: Deadly to Breathe But OK to Drink?

Good News for Attapulgus

Mar 30, 2026

The City of Attapulgus, Georgia will receive federal funding of $478,420 to replace deteriorating asbestos-cement pipes still being used to deliver water throughout the municipality. Mayor Art King said that the new water mains will “provide them [citizens] with clean, healthy water to drink.” Unfortunately, said the Mayor, dealing with Washington is a slow process and it may be some while before the funds are received. “That money has been approved, but they’re gonna have to get things worked out.” King said. See: Federal funds to help Attapulgus replace asbestos-cement pipes.

Rehabilitation for Asbestos Mine Site?

Mar 30, 2026

During a presentation at a community hall in Yukon’s Dawson City, a spokesperson for the federal government department – the Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada – detailed proposals to remediate contamination at the Clinton Creek Mine over the next three years. The federal department assumed the responsibility for the care and maintenance of the site from the Yukon Government in 2025. The initial work will address concerns over local flooding. See: Tentative remediation plan outlined for Yukon's Clinton Creek mine.

Buyer Beware!

Mar 26, 2026

A well-informed commentary uploaded to a Dutch news portal on March 23, 2026 said that the EU’s Safety Gate, a European warning system for consumers, was in chaos. The EU database, administered by the European Commission, was dismally failing to keep up with dozens of product recalls from multiple countries issued in recent weeks. There was, said journalist Richard Clevers no one-stop-shop for consumers to check whether imported toys and playsets for children were free from asbestos contamination. See: Chaos rond asbestspeelgoed: overal waarschuwingen, nergens overzicht [Chaos around asbestos toys: warnings everywhere, no overview anywhere].

Contamination in Sand Product

Mar 26, 2026

In a press release issued on February 26, 2026, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency confirmed that tests undertaken by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health had found chrysotile and tremolite asbestos fibers in an unspecified children’s product purchased from AliExpress. The identity of the toxic Chinese export was subsequently disclosed in an article entitled: Asbestos found in magic sand in Finland (https://www.is.fi/taloussanomat/art-2000011844394.html) as Wordpad QIYI, a toy which had been recalled in the UK as well as the EU. See: Tukes tested children’s sand products – asbestos found in one product.

Precautionary Advice for Play Sand

Mar 26, 2026

Following international news regarding asbestos contamination of play sand, hobby and decorative sand, magic sand, kinetic sand and sand in various other toys such as stretchy figures and play tables, the Norwegian Consumer Council advised consumers not to use any of these products. The Council was engaged in a program to test random samples of high-risk products, especially those manufactured in China which had previously been identified as contaminated. See: Advarer mot lekesand: «Ikke la barna leke med det» [Warning against play sand: “Don't let children play with it”].

Online Mesothelioma Resource

Mar 26, 2026

On March 19, 2026, a new text published by Italy’s public institution that manages compulsory insurance against workplace accidents and occupational diseases (INAIL) was uploaded – entitled: Asbestos and Mesothelioma: Psychological Impact and Distress Assessment. The document was intended to highlight the need for psychological as well as medical support for mesothelioma patients and their caregivers. Within the manual there were two versions of the Mesothelioma Psychological Distress Tool, one for patients and the other for caregivers; this unique clinical tool was “built specifically to assess the psychological impact of mesothelioma.” See: Amianto e mesotelioma: impatto psicologico e valutazione del distress [Asbestos and mesothelioma: psychological impact and distress assessment].

Unbelievable!

Mar 26, 2026

Earlier this month, it was reported that a Brazilian Court had unanimously confirmed the conviction of an unnamed company which had been found guilty of causing the asbestosis death of a worker. The Court denied the defendant’s application to exhume the body of the deceased in order to extract samples “to prove that the cause of death was smoking” and not workplace asbestos exposures. The Seventh Panel of the Superior Labor Court increased the compensation award for moral damages to R$150,000 (US$28,280), due to the seriousness of the case and the history of similar lawsuits against the company. See: Justiça nega pedido de exumação para definir causa da morte de trabalhador [Court denies request for exhumation to determine cause of worker's death].

Recommended New Online Resource

Mar 26, 2026

A 54-minute documentary uploaded on February 17, 2026 entitled “Asbestos is a bigger problem than we thought” is a very useful resource for people with no knowledge of the asbestos hazard as well as those who have spent years studying it. The narrator tells a coherent and detailed story of the history of the deadly industry, the multiple ways it built asbestos markets, suppressed opposition and manipulated the government. While much of the content is US-based, the facts revealed are pertinent worldwide. The evolution of the 1% rule to protect industry stakeholders prompted one commentator to write: “The 1% rule is wild. Imagine if a restaurant served you a meal that was 1% raw sewage and told you it was ‘sewage free.’” Highly recommended. See: Asbestos is a bigger problem than we thought.

More Asbestos Recalls

Mar 25, 2026

On March 18 & 20, 2026, a further ten toys were withdrawn from UK markets because they presented “a risk to health as the sand included in the set may be contaminated with a quantity of asbestos.” The UK regulatory body – the Office for Product Safety Standards (OPSS) – reported that units already sold of these products had been recalled from end-users by the manufacturer (KTL) and seller (AliBaba). They included: squishy and stretchy toy figures, balloon dog toys, a science kit and a wooden sand toy. See: GOV.UK website. Search for Asbestos Recalls.

Worthwhile Initiative in Ontario

Mar 25, 2026

The Canadian Province of Ontario recently launched an online occupational exposure registry (OER) portal where concerned workers can record details of workplace exposures to asbestos and 10 other hazardous substances. This is the first such initiative anywhere in Canada and is “designed to prevent workplace-related diseases and provides users with a long-term record for medical assessments and future compensation.” According to an official study (2020), fewer than 10% of Ontarians with occupational cancers receive compensation for their injuries. See: Occupational exposure registry a first in Canada.

Help or No Help?

Mar 25, 2026

The article cited below detailed a rather confused situation for school officials in New Zealand facing unspecified remediation costs due to their use of asbestos-contaminated play sand. Insurers are, said the Education Ministry, expected to cover decontamination work at individual schools but in some cases funds might be made available from an $8 million pot of government money reserved “to help schools fast track day-to-day maintenance.” More than a hundred schools had applied for government funding for asbestos removal work. See: About $8 million available to cover asbestos sand clean-up costs, document indicates.

Victory in Bari!

Mar 25, 2026

Last week, Italy’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) was ordered to recognize the 2024 mesothelioma death of naval mechanic Marshal Francesco Pantaleo, who had, for decades, been exposed to asbestos on board MoD ships. As per the ruling of the Bari Court, the MoD will pay the deceased’s family compensation of €285,000 (US$330,355) in addition to monthly allowances for his widow and children. The judge noted that Pantaleo was routinely exposed to asbestos especially in engine rooms where “maintenance activities generated real ‘clouds of harmful dust…’” See: Militare pugliese morto per amianto riconosciuto vittima del dovere [Apulian soldier [serviceman] killed by asbestos recognized as a victim of duty].

Precautionary Advice!

Mar 25, 2026

In a March 6, 2026 upload to the website of the Danish Consumer Council (Forbrugerrådet Tænk), consumers were advised that following the precautionary principle neither children nor adults should use play sand. Tests were being conducted in Denmark following discoveries in Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia of asbestos contamination in play sand especially items “produced in China.” Amongst the toxic toys identified were: colored play, hobby and decorative sand, magic sand, kinetic sand, sand-filled stretch-fidgets and squeeze figures and sand play tables. See: Asbest i legesand: Sæt legen på pause, indtil produkterne er undersøgt [Asbestos in play sand: Pause play until the products are investigated].

Vermont Asbestos Mine: The Legacy

Mar 25, 2026

A 25+-minute podcast uploaded on March 19, 2026 told the story of a former asbestos mine in Vermont which in the 1930s accounted for 100% of all the asbestos produced in the US. The remnants of a century of asbestos mining are 30 million tons of toxic tailings dominating the landscape. For decades local people, state and federal authorities fought over the hazard posed by this waste and its proximity to the town of Belvidere. For now, no resolution has been found and the pragmatic solution adopted revolves around keeping the asbestos waste contained within the fenced-off industrial site. See: A Vermont asbestos mine shut down in the '90s. Then came the real fight.

Another Asbestos Recall!

Mar 23, 2026

On March 16, 2026, New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) issued an alert over toxic toys which had been sold between September 9, 2025 and January 10, 2026 at City Beach. The products in question were part of the HTI Stretcherz Slammerz range. According to the MBIE notice: “the ‘sand’ inside the products may contain asbestos.” See: HTI Stretcherz Slammerz sold at City Beach.

Asbestos Debate in Parliament

Mar 23, 2026

An adjournment debate secured on March 16, 2026 by MP Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab) highlighted the injustice of government rules which marginalized thousands of asbestos cancer victims every year. The injured are people who contracted lung cancer due to workplace asbestos exposures. Under the Compensation Act 2006, people with mesothelioma “could recover full compensation from any one negligent employer, even if other former employers or their insurers cannot be traced” people suffering from asbestos-related lung cancer could not. To remedy this injustice, the MP urged Parliament to act expeditiously. See: March 16, 2026 Adjournment Debate Asbestos-related Lung Cancer: Compensation Act 2006.

Toxic Toys: Update

Mar 23, 2026

While much of Europe has been in turmoil in recent weeks over reports regarding the sale of asbestos- contaminated toys, there has been no mention of this growing scandal in the country where the products originated: China. With that in mind, the article cited below which detailed the growing public outrage in the Netherlands is a rarity. The text reported mixed results from testing of dozens of products and said that the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s final conclusions will be released in “a few more weeks.” See:【荷兰】荷兰媒体炒作儿童玩耍用沙不安全，问题有初步结论 [[Netherlands] Dutch media are hyping up the safety concerns surrounding children's play sand; preliminary conclusions have been reached].

Toxic Toys: Interim Results

Mar 23, 2026

On March 13, 2026, it was reported that the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) found asbestos in 34 of 99 products tested during an investigation into play sand toys. In the vast majority of cases, this involved “very small quantities.” The items recalled to date included: Sand art in a glow-in-the-dark bottle; Colored sand; Sensory wooden blocks filled with colored sand; Blue decorative stones; High-quality cream-colored decorative sand (750 grams). According to a spokesperson for the European Commission “all recalls of Chinese products are shared with the Chinese authorities.” See: NVWA: Asbest in speelzand in 1 op de 3 producten, maar in lage concentraties [Asbestos was already found in ‘Glow Sand Art’ in an AD investigation weeks ago].

Medical Treatment: Update

Mar 23, 2026

Medical researchers in London are pioneering a major research project – HIT-MESO – to examine “whether proton beam therapy (PBT) can significantly improve survival for patients with mesothelioma…” This is the first randomized PBT clinical trial in the UK. The clinicians are optimistic about achieving a significant improvement in survival rates. According to Dr Crispin Hiley, chief investigator of the trial: “Proton beam therapy allows us to deliver high-dose radiation far more precisely, sparing critical organs like the heart and healthy lung.” See: UCLH and UCL researchers trial proton beam therapy in bid to transform treatment for mesothelioma.

Spring Asbestos Offensive

Mar 23, 2026

The top headline article currently on the website of the International Chrysotile Association (ICA) – a Belgium-based trade association backed by global asbestos vested interests – targeted campaigners in Malaysia who had called on their government to take urgent action on the asbestos hazard and ban its use. The content of the text rehashed standard pro-asbestos rhetoric and alleged that in Malaysia, as in other countries, “activists, supported by well-endowed foreign militant organizations” had pressured the Government to outlaw asbestos use without any scientific or medical evidence supporting their arguments. See: Why should Malaysia ban chrysotile asbestos when there is no scientific evidence of any negative impact on human health, or the environment?

Urgent Call for Government Action

Mar 18, 2026

On March 14, 2026, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) called on the Malaysia government to ensure that all play and craft sand products sold in the country were free from asbestos, an acknowledged carcinogen. The author of the open letter Mohideen Abdul Kader, the President of CAP, reported recent product recalls and market withdrawals in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom of play and craft sand products after laboratory tests had found asbestos contamination. “Unsafe products,” he concluded “threaten lives and undermine fundamental consumer rights, and children should never face preventable risks from toys or craft materials that are assumed to be safe.” See: LETTER | Addressing asbestos risks in children's play and craft sand products.