News Archive

On Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 7 p.m., in Kapelle-op-den-Bos, Belgium – formerly the location of one of Europe’s largest asbestos-cement factories and the epicenter of a devastating cancer epidemic which has taken the lives of family members and local people as well as workers – a statue was unveiled in remembrance of the asbestos victims. Although this municipal recognition of the asbestos disaster was long overdue, the Association of Asbestos Victims was neither consulted to contribute its input to the project nor invited to speak at the ceremony. See: Inhuldiging beeld 'Ademloos' tijdens het feestweekend [Breathless. Inauguration of the statue 'Breathless' during the festive weekend].

Asbestos in the Tunnels

Jul 17, 2024

As of July 15, 2024, two tunnels in the east of Brussels were closed as part of an asbestos removal and remediation project being carried out over the summer months. According to one of the supervisors Inge Paemen: “The work involves removing asbestos and repairing and protecting the reinforced concrete ceilings… Asbestos was already removed from part of the ceilings in summer 2020. This will now be finished and the ceilings will also be repaired.” The work on four key tunnels is being undertaken at this time as traffic flow is 20% decreased during July and August. See: Two Brussels tunnels closed for works from Monday.

Remembering the Asbestos Fallen

May 3, 2024

Campaigners held a vigil on April 25 – in the run-up to the World Day for Safety and Health at Work – in Harmignies, Belgium to remember those who had died as a result of toxic exposures at the Coverit factory, an asbestos-cement production facility owned by the Eternit Group. Nearly 75% (170) of the plant’s former workers have died from asbestos-related diseases. The event was organized by the Asbestos and Hazardous Products Committee, a group which campaigns for justice for the injured and for stricter regulation of construction and demolition work at sites where asbestos was used. See: Harmignies: commémoration des victimes de l'amiante de Coverit lors de la journée mondiale de la santé au travail [Harmignies: commemoration of the victims of Coverit asbestos on World Day for Health at Work].

Asbestos an Election Issue

Apr 30, 2024

Members of ABEVA – The Belgian Association of Asbestos Victims – are asking candidates for the June 2024 elections to address the asbestos issue in political manifestos: “There is not a town, a village, a hamlet in our country that does not have asbestos-cement roofs, gables, and pipes.” ABEVA reminded politicians that the historic use of massive amounts of asbestos products in Belgium during the 20th century continues to endanger the lives of citizens in the present day. See: Élections 2024, les victimes de l’amiante se rappellent aux candidats en vue des scrutins : « Il n’est pas un hameau dans notre pays qui ne compte des toits en amiante-ciment » [2024 elections, asbestos victims remind candidates in view of the polls: “There is not a hamlet in our country that does not have asbestos-cement roofs”].

Political Inertia Blocks Reform

Apr 18, 2024

It was announced on April 16, 2024 that attempts by Belgian politicians to reform legislation blocking lawsuits by claimants who had received compensation from the Belgian Asbestos Fund (the Fund) had failed. With elections looming, there was, said a spokesperson for the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats political party, no chance of amending the legislation in the short-term. In March, the Social Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies had once again rejected a bill to allow recipients of payouts from the Fund to launch legal proceedings against a company despite receiving compensation from the Fund. See: Pas d'accord au sein de la majorité sur l'amiante [No agreement within the [Federal] majority [parties] on asbestos].

Rising Incidence of Asbestos Cancer

Mar 5, 2024

On February 29, 2024, the Federal Agency for Occupational Risks announced that the number of applicants with mesothelioma recognized by the Belgian Asbestos Fund (AFA) was 253 in 2023, the highest number since 2009. In previous years, the average number of successful cases was between 197 and 200. It is unknown why the figure has risen by 28%. Before asbestos use was banned, Belgium had been a large asbestos consumer and exporter of asbestos-containing products. See: Amiante en Belgique: le nombre de victimes reconnues est en forte augmentation [Asbestos in Belgium: the number of recognised victims is rising sharply].

Asbestos in Schools

Feb 26, 2024

Children at the Athénée Royal Charles Rogier (Liège 1), a secondary school serving the French population in Liège, Belgium began their half-term holiday two days early because of the discovery of asbestos-containing material in the school. They were notified on February 21, 2024 of the suspension of classes after work had been carried out by an external company to install paper dispensers. A member of staff reported suspicions about the possible disturbance of asbestos contained in the building’s walls to the asbestos watchdog at the labor inspectorate. An investigation is ongoing. See: Amiante dans une école liégeoise: la direction de l’Athénée Royal Charles Rogier s’exprime [Asbestos in a Liège school: the management of the Athénée Royal Charles Rogier speaks out].

The Polluter Pays!

Jan 17, 2024

A press release issued on January 13, 2024 by the Flemish Environment Ministry announced that the construction company SVK – based in the city of Sint-Niklaas, in the Waasland region of Belgium – had been advised that it was being investigated over its liability for asbestos contamination in Flanders. According to Minister Zuhal Demir, SVK will have to undertake “specific remediation work” and cover the costs of the environmental damage caused. See: L'entreprise SVK à Saint-Nicolas mise en demeure pour sa propagation d'amiante [The SVK company in Sint-Niklaas has been given formal notice for its spread of asbestos].

Victim’s Win in Historic Case

Dec 5, 2023

According to the Belgian Asbestos Victims Group, on November 27, 2023 a Brussels Court of first instance ruled that Eric Jonckheere had succeeded in his lawsuit to prove that the Belgian asbestos conglomerate Eternit had committed an “intentional fault.” The claimant, like his parents and two brothers, contracted the signature asbestos cancer, mesothelioma as a result of the company’s choosing “to continue without further ado its risk-generating – and of course very lucrative – behavior… The probability of various asbestos cancers appearing over time in the population in question was so high that it had to be qualified as an almost certain ‘risk’.” See: Cancer de l’amiante: un jugement qualifié d’historique [Asbestos cancer: a judgment described as historic].

Asbestos Judgment Delayed

Nov 8, 2023

On November 6, 2023, the Court of First Instance in Brussels announced that the verdict in a landmark case brought by Eric Jonckheere – one of five members of his family to contract the lethal asbestos cancer mesothelioma – would be handed down in December 2023. Jonckheere, who is the President of the Belgian Asbestos Victims’ Group (ABEVA), is suing the Belgian cement conglomerate Eternit, claiming that despite knowing that asbestos exposures could prove lethal, the company had continued to use this acknowledged carcinogen. This behaviour, according to the claimant’s lawyers, constituted “inexcusable fault.” See: Procès Eternit: le tribunal rendra son jugement le mois prochain [Eternit trial: court to deliver judgment next month].

Asbestos Victims Fund

Sep 21, 2023

Belgium’s Asbestos Fund – set up in 2007 to streamline the payment of compensation to asbestos claimants without the need for legal action – paid out more than €20 million (US$21.3m) to 1,560 victims and relatives in 2022; 959 of the claims arose over cases of mesothelioma, 70% of the injured came from Flanders. In 2021, the fund paid out a total of €20.7m to 1,602 claimants. Victims of asbestos cancer receive €1,865/month and, since 2019, are eligible for a lump sum one-off payment of €10,200 (US$10,880). See: Le Fonds amiante a payé plus de 20 millions d'euros aux victimes et proches en 2022 [The Asbestos Fund paid more than €20 million to victims and relatives in 2022].

New Mesothelioma Diagnostic Tool

Sep 14, 2023

According to material presented last week at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer World Conference 2023 in Singapore by Belgian researchers, a new non-invasive method for screening people for malignant pleural mesothelioma has been developed by researchers in Antwerp, in which exhaled breath is analyzed for the presence of predictive biomarkers. Although optimistic about the utility of the new tool, researcher Dr Kevin Lamote said that “larger population studies are required.” See: Exhaled breath analysis shows promise in detecting malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Asbestos Exposé

Jun 2, 2023

A front-page feature in the Sunday edition (May 28, 2023) of the Brussels Times – an English-language news website and magazine headquartered in Brussels – highlighted the epidemic caused by asbestos exposures in Belgium, formerly the heartland of Europe’s asbestos industrial sector. The text featured an interview with Marijke Van Buggenhout, a PhD researcher who grew up near Kapelle-op-den-Bos, the site of Eternit’s largest asbestos-cement manufacturing facility in Belgium: “Asbestos deaths within the family were announced left, right and centre: my father's Uncle Alex, his aunt Bertha, my father's aunt's daughter-in-law, the husband of my grandfather's youngest sister. They all died just months after their diagnosis.” See: Forgotten killer: Belgian asbestos victims seek real sense of justice.

Quantifying Flanders’ Asbestos Problem

May 9, 2023

According to data sourced from a scheme begun in Flanders last year (2022) which mandated that all houses built before 2001 must have an asbestos certificate when put up for sale, it was calculated that up to 40% of homes could contain asbestos. This figure was based on 72,940 certificates which had been issued by 1,093 asbestos experts by the end of April 2023. Announcing these findings on Monday, May 1, 2023, Flemish Environment Minister Zuhal Demir praised the actions being taken by Flemish citizens to remediate the built environment. See: En Flandre, 40% des habitations contiendraient de l’amiante [In Flanders, 40% of homes contain asbestos].

Asbestos Documentary

Apr 27, 2023

At 11:15 p.m. on April 22, 2023 a documentary entitled “The Stolen Breath” was broadcast on RTBF (Radio–Television for the Belgian French Community). Film-makers Daniel Lambo and Maarten Schmidt investigated the tragic legacy in Belgium and India of the asbestos operations of the Eternit multinational. The film detailed the asbestos epidemic in the Flemish town of Kapelle-op-den-Bos, for decades Eternit’s Belgian headquarters, with footage of former Kapelle resident Eric Jonckheere, now suffering from the asbestos cancer mesothelioma. Work in India to identify and compensate workers and local people injured by Eternit’s operations was also discussed. See: “Le souffle vole”: enquête sur l’industrie mortelle de l’amiante [“The stolen breath”: investigation into the deadly asbestos industry].

Asbestos Audit Regulations

Mar 15, 2023

On November 22, 2022 it became mandatory under the Asbestos Decree [Asbestdecreet], approved by the Flemish Parliament March 29, 2019, to produce an asbestos inventory certificate prior to the sale of any property built before 2001. The certificate can be provided following an on-site inspection by an asbestos expert. The paperwork must be registered with the Public Waste Agency (OVAM). Failure to comply with the regulations will result in the voiding of any property transfer. See: Belgium: As Of 23 November 2022, An Asbestos Certificate Is Mandatory When Transferring Real Estate Constructed Before 2001 In Flanders.

Asbestos-Free Certificates, the Future?

Oct 31, 2022

Following the precedent set by Flanders, a Brussels MP is pushing the Brussels Region to impose a certification scheme under which properties put up for sale will require a document attesting to the fact that they are free of asbestos material. Unfortunately, Alain Maron – Minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region – replied that such a scheme would impose a “cumbersome” burden on property owners which could depress sales of real estate in Brussels. Existing regulations, Maron said, provide sufficient protection. See: Transaction immobilière: vers un certificat “garanti sans amianto” à Bruxelles? [Real estate transaction: towards a “guaranteed asbestos-free” certificate in Brussels?].

Asbestos Audits for House Sales

Oct 28, 2022

As of November 23, 2022, anyone selling a domestic property in Flanders will be required to have an asbestos certificate for all structures built before 2001. The mandatory document will consist of a detailed inventory of all material present which contains asbestos and must be prepared by an authorized specialist. The cost of an asbestos inspection will be between €300 and €600 (US$604); registering the document with OVAM – the Public Waste Agency in the region of Flanders – will cost another €50. See: La Flandre exige désormais un certificat amiante [Flanders now requires an asbestos certificate].

Asbestos Removal in Flanders

Sep 17, 2022

Pursuant to Flanders commitment to be asbestos-free by 2040, the Flanders Government has allocated €3.5 million (US$3.5m) in a bill designed to eradicate the asbestos hazard from the care sector. Until mid-October 2022, healthcare institutions can apply for funding to the Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM). A further €9m has been allocated to tackle the asbestos legacy in other sectors including: agriculture, education and social housing. See (subscription site): Flanders provides €3.5 million to remove asbestos from healthcare centres.

Asbestos Eradication in Flanders

Aug 25, 2022

In a press release issued earlier this month, Flemish Minister for Environment Zuhal Demir announced that the Flemish Government had allocated an additional sum of €5.5 million (US$ 5.7m) for work to eradicate asbestos from 165 schools and 190 healthcare institutions. “In addition,” Minister Demir said “we can also make asbestos inventories for hundreds of buildings in order to prepare for future removals.” The provision of the funds under the Asbestos Building Action Plan will enable remediation work to be prioritized. See: Vlaamse regering maakt 5,5 miljoen euro vrij voor asbestverwijdering in scholen en welzijnsinstellingen [Flemish government releases 5.5 million euros for asbestos removal in schools and welfare institutions].

Improving Asbestos Regime in Flanders

Aug 15, 2022

On August 8, 2022, Flemish Environment Minister Zuhal Demir announced new proposals to strengthen checks on asbestos removal sites in Flanders. Minister Demir wrote a letter to the Federal Minister of Labour Pierre-Yves Dermagne requesting that action be taken to clarify the demarcation between the duties of the Flemish and Federal Governments regarding the supervision of asbestos removal, demolition, laboratory testing and asbestos waste collection. Although the Flanders Government had pledged to make Flanders an asbestos-free region by 2040, there is still, said Minister Demir, insufficient monitoring of many key aspects of the asbestos regime. See: Minister calls for stronger checks on asbestos removal.

Toxic Pipes, Toxic Water

Aug 2, 2022

The Wallonia Water Society [Société Wallonne des Eaux (SWDE)] has been publicly condemned by a resident of Bernissart, a city in the Belgian province of Hainaut, for failing to address the hazard posed by the 3,100 kilometers of asbestos-cement pipes installed in the 1950s and still being used to deliver the municipality’s water. These pipes contain up to 15% asbestos which can, it is claimed, leach into the drinking water. See: “La SWDE n’a pas l’air de s’en tracasser”: Vincent dénonce la présence d’amiante dans les canalisations d’eau potable en Wallonie, “une matière cancérigène” [“The SWDE does not seem to care”: Vincent denounces the presence of asbestos in the drinking water pipes in Wallonia, “a carcinogenic material”].

New Asbestos Regime for House Sales

Jun 3, 2022

On May 25, 2022, it was announced that as of November 23, 2022, it will become obligatory for all homes built before 2001 in Flanders to have an asbestos certificate before they can be sold. It is not a requirement that the asbestos be removed but it is mandatory that a report commissioned from an expert is provided certifying that the property is “asbestos-safe.” According to Ann Cuyckens from the Public Waste Agency of Flanders: “Asbestos is a major problem that we carry with us from the past and that has still not gone away.” See: Asbestos certification required for sale of pre-2001 houses in Flanders.

Compensation for Ovarian Cancer

May 27, 2022

On May 24, 2022, the House Social Affairs Committee of the Belgian Parliament approved a bill which will secure compensation for victims who contract ovarian cancer due to asbestos exposure. This will be achieved by adding ovarian cancer to the list of diseases for which compensation is paid by the Belgian Asbestos Victims’ Compensation Fund. When the Fund was set up in 2019 compensation was awarded to sufferers with mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, asbestosis and other pleural diseases but not ovarian cancer. See: Amiante: les malades du cancer de l'ovaire pourront être indemnisées [Asbestos: ovarian cancer patients can be compensated].

Asbestos Compensation Scheme Update

May 23, 2022

On May 17, 2022, a bill to overhaul the compensation system for asbestos victims in Belgium was debated in the Parliamentary Social Affairs Committee. Draft legislation would introduce the concept of the “polluter pays” so that companies which had exposed workers to asbestos would be obliged to pay compensation directly. In addition, under the new system, asbestos victims could accept compensation from the national fund and also instigate a lawsuit against negligent employers, something which is now forbidden. See: L'indemnisation des victimes de l'amiante fait débat à la Chambre [Compensation for asbestos victims is debated in the House].

Asbestos at the Museum

May 13, 2022

A very popular tourist destination in Brussels, the Institute of Natural Sciences, is grappling with the discovery earlier this year of asbestos contamination, according to an announcement by museum officials who revealed that asbestos fibers had been found in the Institute’s ventilation ducts. On March 23, 2022, officials said that the contamination affected “the offices, laboratories and collections part of our Institute.” A working group is preparing a feasibility study exploring options such as remediation, renovation and demolition. See: L'amiante aura-t-il la peau d'une partie de l'Institut des sciences naturelles à Bruxelles? [Will asbestos take over part of the Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels?].

Eternit Condemned!

May 4, 2022

A loophole in the Belgian process of delivering justice for asbestos victims was highlighted last week with the announcement on April 28, 2022 that a landmark case had been filed against Eternit, formerly the owner of asbestos-cement factories in Belgium and abroad. The case was initiated by the President of the Belgian Asbestos Victims Group (ABEVA), who has contracted the same asbestos cancer as his parents and two brothers. Mr. Jonckheere explained that the current system whitewashed the crimes of negligent companies by forcing applicants to the National Asbestos Fund to renounce their right to take legal action. See: Procès Eternit : vers une indemnisation plus juste des victimes de l’amiante? [Eternit trial: towards fairer compensation for asbestos victims?].

Asbestos Family Tragedy

May 3, 2022

An article on the website of the Belgian Radio-Television service for the country’s French community broke the news last week that a 5th member of the same family had announced he had contracted the asbestos cancer mesothelioma which had killed both his parents and two of his brothers. Following his Mother’s ground-breaking legal action against Eternit, which had operated the asbestos factory at Kapelle-op-den-Bos responsible for their toxic exposures, Eric Jonckheere instituted a new legal challenge accusing Eternit of wilful misconduct [“intentional faute”]. See: Atteint d’un mésothéliome, l’aîné d’une famille décimée par l’amiante ouvre un nouveau combat judiciaire [Affected by mesothelioma, the eldest of a family decimated by asbestos opens a new legal battle].

Asbestos in the Steel Industry

Mar 16, 2022

The Asbestos Group of the CSC Belgian trade union has raised the alarm over the possibility of asbestos exposures to members who had worked at steel production facilities which closed 40 years ago in the town of Jemappes. Several former workers have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases believed to have been caused by workplace exposures to asbestos. In Jemappes, there were 1,200 workers when the plant closed in 1982; after so many decades, it is not unusual for the injured to forget the toxic exposures they experienced at this and other industrial facilities. See: Des anciens travailleurs des laminoirs de Jemappes victimes de l’amiante? [The asbestos collective is mobilizing for rolling mill workers].

EU Asbestos Initiative: Call for Evidence

Feb 24, 2022

On February 22, 2022, the European Union announced that a public consultation would be held on revisions to Directive 2009/148/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work. Evidence pertinent to this topic can be submitted to the Commission until March 22, 2022: “Anyone who is interested or might be affected by an existing or proposed law or policy can share their views, sending comments or position papers or reply to public consultations. This includes: public national, local and regional authorities, businesses, civil society organisations, and individual citizens”. See: Health & safety at work – protecting workers from asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Fund Update: Accounts for 2020

Feb 24, 2022

In 2020, the Belgium Asbestos Fund paid out compensation of €19,000,000 (US$21.5m) to asbestos victims and their dependents according to a press release issued on February 22, 2022 by Belgium’s Federal Agency for Occupational Risks. According to the scheme, mesothelioma claimants are entitled to a monthly pension of €1,865 ($US2,110) and a lump sum of €10,200 ($11,540). In 2020, €10.7 million were paid to victims who also received lump sums of €1.8m; €6.2m were paid to surviving family members with €56,460 paid for funeral costs and €34,180 paid for medical care. See: Le Fonds amiante a octroyé près de 19 millions d’euros aux victimes et ayants droit en 2020 [The Asbestos Fund granted nearly 19 million euros to victims and beneficiaries in 2020].

Public Outrage over Toxic Water

Feb 4, 2022

Following a TV broadcast exposing the health hazard posed by Belgian water delivery systems which used asbestos-cement pipes, there has understandably been an upsurge of public concern over the safety of drinking tap water. Mayors in the worst affected areas in Wallonia have demanded explanations from the water utility company: SWDE. “We were never made aware of the situation,” said Jacques Chabot, Mayor of Waremme. He said that SWDE had sent an email warning about the broadcast of the documentary. See [Subscription site]: Conduites d'eau en amiante-ciment : « On veut des explications » [Asbestos-cement water pipes: “We want explanations”].

Asbestos-Cement Pipes Safe, say SWDE!

Feb 2, 2022

Following the broadcast of a recent TV documentary on the prevalence of asbestos-containing water pipes in Belgium, SWDE (a public utility responsible for water delivery in parts of Southern Belgium) defended its replacement policy. A company spokesperson said: “Each year, we replace the drinking water distribution pipes of the SWDE at a cost of 100 million euros. 10 years ago, 15% of our entire network was made up of asbestos and cement pipes. Today, we are at 11%, because we are replacing these used pipes with other materials.” See: Amiante dans les conduites d’eau: la SWDE rassure quant à la dangerosité de la situation… [Asbestos in water pipes: the SWDE reassures as to the dangerousness of the situation…].

Asbestos Alert in Belgium

Jan 31, 2022

A high-profile TV documentary broadcast in Belgium on January 26, 2022 highlighted the presence of deteriorating asbestos-cement pipes throughout the country. Pipe networks are delivering water of doubtful quality in several districts, with some areas affected far worse than others. The highest concentration of toxic pipes was reported in Wallonia where there are 3,000 kilometers of asbestos-cement pipes. In other words, 11% of Wallonia’s water delivery system uses asbestos-cement pipes. See: Amiante dans l’eau potable: découvrez si votre commune possède des conduites en amiante-ciment [Asbestos in drinking water: find out if your municipality has asbestos-cement pipes].

Wallonia Says NIMBY

Sep 23, 2021

Available space for the approved disposal of asbestos waste in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of southern Belgium, is running out. Of four possible landfills in Wallonia, one has been closed for years, another is nearly full and another is due to close in 2022. That leaves the site in Habay as the only one available. Habay’s Mayor says the increase in toxic dumping would pose a risk to the health of the town’s residents and to people living in villages along the roads used by transport companies to bring the debris to Habay. Questions have been submitted for the attention of Walloon Minister of the Environment Céline Tellier about alternative solutions to this problem. See: Les déchets d’amiante de Wallonie viendront-ils tous à Habay? Des élus s’inquiètent [Will all asbestos waste from Wallonia come to Habay? Elected officials worry].

Allies under the Brussels Sunshine

Sep 17, 2021

Teams of runners from Belgian (ABEVA) and French (ANDEVA) Asbestos Victims’ Groups went head to head in a 20 kilometer race in Brussels on September 12, 2021. Amongst the French runners were ANDEVA’s President Jacques Faugeron, staff members Hélène Boulot and Patrice Raveneau and two volunteers. Although the larger and better trained Belgian team was the first to reach the finishing line under the iconic arch in Bicentennial Park, ANDEVA runners vowed to return for a rematch in 2022. See: L'ANDEVA aux côtés de l'ABEVA pour les 20km de Bruxelles [ANDEVA alongside ABEVA for the Brussels 20km].

Asbestos Removal Program

Aug 26, 2021

According to a press release from the Flemish Minister of Environment Zuhal Demir, the Flemish Government has allocated €3.85 million (US$4.5m) for asbestos removal in 200 schools across the region. In addition, a further 780 asbestos audits of school buildings will be carried out over the next four years. The Flemish Government has committed itself to eradicating the asbestos hazard by 2040. Demir, who highlighted the ubiquity of asbestos in Flemish buildings, said: “We are now allocating an unprecedentedly large budget for [removing] it, which will benefit the quality of life and health of many people.” See: Flanders pours €3.85 million into asbestos removal in 200 schools.

Asbestos in Schools

May 24, 2021

In answer to a question from Belgian Deputy André Antoine to Minister Frédéric Daerden about asbestos contamination of schools, the Minister reassured teachers, staff, students and parents that: “The issue of asbestos in our schools is still being followed seriously. All ‘asbestos’ inventories were carried out between 2008 and 2009.” According to the Minister, the situation was under control and urgent work was being undertaken as a matter of priority. After the investigations were completed, the Government would be better placed to clarify the situation. See: Amiante dans nos écoles: la situation est sous contrôle, mais les moyens restent largement insuffisants, selon le ministre Daerden [Asbestos in our schools: the situation is under control, but the means remain largely insufficient, according to Minister Daerden].

Shortage of Space for Asbestos Waste

Apr 26, 2021

Wallonia, the French-speaking community of Flanders, is running out of capacity for the legal dumping of asbestos waste. As a consequence of the closure last December (2020) of two asbestos landfill sites, only two remaining sites are operational in Wallonia: one in Habay-la-Neuve and the other in Hallembay. They are close to being full. Technical experts are calling on quick decisions to be made regarding the lack of capacity which could include extending provisions at current landfills to allow dumping of asbestos waste. The higher the price for disposing of asbestos waste, the more toxic waste will be illegally dumped said Étienne Offergeld. See: Amiante: les centres d’enfouissement wallons sont presque tous pleins [Asbestos: Walloon landfills are almost full up].

Deadly Asbestos Legacy

Apr 14, 2021

The 2.5 million tons of asbestos waste buried at Belgian dumpsites was described as a “gigantic time bomb” in an article uploaded on April 9, 2021. Every year, 150,000 tons of this toxic waste are deposited at a landfill site in Antwerp, according to Frank Bal, head of technical and commercial services at Indaver, the company that manages the site: “About half comes from our own facilities, these are residues from our waste treatment processes. The other half comes from external customers who deliver materials considered to be toxic to us.” See: Des millions de tonnes d’amiante dorment dans les décharges belges: “Les générations à venir seront les victimes” [Millions of tons of asbestos lie dormant in Belgian landfills: “The generations to come will be the victims”].

A Special Anniversary

Dec 15, 2020

The 20th anniversary of the founding of the ABEVA asbestos victims’ group in Belgium was marked by the uploading of a celebratory issue of the Group’s newsletter. Plans to hold a celebration of the event were put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Belgian Asbestos Victims’ Association – L’association Belge des Victimes de l’Amiante (ABEVA) – was founded in 2000 by the Vandenbroucke and Jonckheere families, both of which had lost loved ones to the asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. Belgium (see: Asbestos Profile), as the home country of the global asbestos giant Eternit, has one of the world’s highest incidences in the world of asbestos-related mortality For the newsletter see: ABEVA website.

Asbestos on the Railways

Mar 12, 2020

Off-loading asbestos-containing rolling stock could prove problematic for Belgium’s national railway company, the SNCB, which has 1,000+ contaminated wagons, locomotives and motor vehicles it revealed on March 10, 2020. The intention was to dispose of these items by 2023. The affected goods, most of which were built in the 1980s, were itemized in a document for prospective buyers as follows: 720 wagons, 193 locomotives and 239 motor vehicles. See: De l'amiante “en grande quantité” dans des wagons, locomotives et autre matériel roulant de la SNCB [Asbestos “in large quantities” in SNCB wagons, locomotives and other rolling stock].

Asbestos in Schools

Feb 18, 2020

According to Schoolgroep Brussel (SGB), a group representing the education system of the Flemish Community, 80% of the 100 Flemish schools in Brussels still contain asbestos. Last year (2019), asbestos remediation work was carried out in just six of the Flemish schools. A statement by SGB was highly critical of the discrepancy between the more generous funding provided by the public waste agency in Flanders for work on school in Flanders and that provided by the Brussels environment agency [Leefmilieu Brussel] for Dutch-speaking community schools in Brussels. See: Asbestos still present in 80% of Flemish schools in Brussels.

Asbestos Film Online

Jan 24, 2020

A 42-minute segment of the 70-minute 2018 documentary entitled “Breathless,” which was made by Belgian film-makers, is now available to watch on a youtube site hosted by DW, the German state-owned public international broadcaster. The film shows the devastating consequences for individuals and communities who worked for or were the located near Eternit asbestos factories. The film, which premiered at the International Film Festival in Brussels on the June 24, has also been shown in London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Jaipur, Coimbatore, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kymore and other locations. See: Breathless.

Asbestos in the Built Environment

Aug 16, 2019

The answer to a Parliamentary question submitted to the Belgian Minister responsible for the government’s buildings agency revealed that in the last five years, 10% of government buildings had been subject to measures to deal with asbestos-containing material. In some of the 104 buildings affected, asbestos was removed; in others, airborne levels were monitored with no further action taken. Buildings on which asbestos remediation work was carried out included: police stations in Uccle and Etterbeek, the Monnaie theatre, the former justice palace in Antwerp, Ghent prison and a centre for asylum-seekers in Kapellen in Antwerp province. See: Federal government buildings still contain asbestos, says report.

Asbestos in Schools

Aug 13, 2019

Between July 2018 and 2019, more than 1,000 schools in Flanders have applied to the Public Waste Agency of Flanders for funding to remove asbestos; to date, all of the applications received have been approved. According to data released, remediation work is being planned or has already been started at 250 educational premises. The Government of Flanders has designated the removal of asbestos from schools a high priority. See: Al meer dan duizend Vlaamse scholen deden aanvraag voor subsidies voor asbestverwijdering [More than a thousand Flemish schools have already applied for asbestos removal subsidies].

Uplift of Victims’ Rights

Jun 14, 2019

In April 2019, as a result of an unanimous vote by the Belgian Parliament: lung and larynx cancers were added to the list of compensable asbestos-related diseases; the National Asbestos Fund increased compensation for mesothelioma victims by €10,000; and the families of environmental asbestos victims were to be paid funeral expenses of €1000. Welcoming this news, asbestos victims’ campaigners pointed out that the scandal of asbestos in the country’s schools remained ongoing and that it was unjust that the right to sue employers or polluters was relinquished as a result of accepting compensation from the Asbestos Fund. See: Une meilleure reconnaissance des victimes de l'amiante [Better recognition of asbestos victims].

Preventing Asbestos Exposure

Jun 6, 2019

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has demanded a review of the European Union’s energy performance of buildings directive in order to improve the level of protection for workers at-risk of asbestos exposures. The EESC is recommending that buildings have publicly accessible registers of harmful substances which could be consulted prior to the commencement of maintenance or renovation activities, and that the removal of harmful substances should be designated a “priority” in legislative proposals. See: EESC urges buildings directive review to prevent asbestos exposure.

Mandatory Asbestos Audits

Mar 22, 2019

On March 20, 2019, the Flemish Parliament mandated that prior to the sale of buildings constructed before 2001, an asbestos inventory must be presented. It has been estimated that buildings and infrastructure in the Flemish Region still contain two million tonnes of asbestos, including many schools built in the 1970s and 1980s. The Flemish government has allocated 7.5 million euros for asbestos removal in schools. See: La Flandre instaure une obligation d’inventaire amiante pour les édifices d’avant 2001 [Flanders introduces an asbestos inventory requirement for pre-2001 buildings].

Asbestos at School

Oct 11, 2018

As the new school year began in Belgium, municipal authorities have refused to publish asbestos audits showing contamination of schools, citing their belief that parents will react unreasonably to the presence of asbestos at their children’s schools. So far, only two of Brussels’s 19 communes have published asbestos inventories of their schools online. Emir Kir, Mayor of Saint-Josse commune, has refused to upload this information saying: “There is a legal obligation to have asbestos inventories, but we do have them, but I want to be very cautious with the communication of this information, which can create unnecessary fear within the population.” See: L’amiante, encore un sujet tabou à Bruxelles [Asbestos, another taboo subject in Brussels].

Prevention is the Cure

Sep 27, 2018

A budget of €300,000 has been allocated by the Ministry of Public Health and Constructiv – an organization offering services to the construction sector – to finance a campaign to raise asbestos awareness amongst workers and apprentices in the construction industry including employees, the self-employed and do-it-yourself practitioners. Means of preventing toxic exposures will be highlighted – such as the use of protective clothing and specialized equipment and the need for operatives to decontaminate themselves after finishing work. The campaign was launched on September 25, 2018 and will end in August 2019. See: 250 nouvelles victimes de l’amiante par an [250 new asbestos victims per year].

Asbestos-Free: 2040 Deadline

Jul 24, 2018

This week the Flemish Government agreed to accelerate the phase-out program to eliminate the asbestos hazard in Flanders by 2040 via a staged action plan that prioritizes the removal of products containing non-bonded asbestos. The health risk posed by exposure to deteriorating asbestos-cement products, such as aging and weathered corrugated sheets, has also been recognized. Key dates are: by 2022, an asbestos inventory must be drawn up when a building is sold; by 2032 asbestos inventories will be required for all buildings built before 2001; by 2034, the most hazardous products must be remediated. See: Asbestveilig Vlaanderen tegen 2040 [Abestos-safe Flanders by 2040].

New Asbestos Documentary

April 29, 2018

An online interview with Belgian film director Daniel Lambo describes the background and focus of a new documentary entitled “Breathless” which was premiered in Belgium earlier this month. In the interview, Mr. Lambo describes the “love-hate” relationship his trade unionist father had with the asbestos multinational Eternit, his employer and the company accused of spreading death and destruction not only in Belgium but also in India and other countries where its subsidiaries operated. See: Hoe Eternit wereldwijd asbest-slachtoffers blijft maken. 'Slachtoffers van asbest beginnen geen proces' [How Eternit continues to make asbestos victims worldwide].

Asbestos in Belgian Schools

Mar 28, 2018

Although it is believed that 70% of Belgian schools contain asbestos, there is no centralized asbestos register and no data available on the situation in specific schools publicly available, according to a new article which focuses on the hazard posed by asbestos contamination to children in Brussels and Wallonia. Grace-Hollogne college, in the Liège province has been closed since March 12 due to tests which showed the presence of airborne asbestos fibers. See: Combien d'écoles contiennent de l'amiante à Bruxelles et en Wallonie? Y a-il des risques pour les enfants? [How many schools contain asbestos in Brussels and Wallonia? Are there any risks for children?].

Asbestos on the Railways

Mar 24, 2018

After recent discoveries of asbestos in the Madrid and Buenos Aires train systems, the Belgian railway company (SNCB) announced on March 23, 2018 that asbestos had been found in paint on “freight wagons it maintains for third parties.” Tests undertaken confirmed that several vehicles under repair in its workshops had caused concern. Measures were being taken, the company said, to minimize exposures – including the termination of some work – and protect affected workers; health checks of exposed personnel were underway. See: La SNCB a retrouvé de l’amiante dans la peinture de plusieurs wagons [SNCB found asbestos in the paint of several vehicles].

Asbestos in Schools

Mar 13, 2018

A 2018 update by Flemish Ministers of the number of schools affected by asbestos contamination has shown a deterioration, with 69 out of 300 schools having an urgent asbestos problem as opposed to a figure of 20 at-risk premises in 2017. Flemish MP Caroline Gennez has described this situation as “unacceptable” and called on “all mayors to request the data for the schools on their territory.” “Asbestos is,” she said “an insidious poison and therefore has no place in our schools. When school boards themselves do not intervene, it is up to the mayors to do so.” See: Asbestos problem in 23 percent of schools studied – Belgium.

Eternit Defeated!

Jun 21, 2017

On June 20, 2017, Eternit announced it would accept a March 2017 verdict which said the company had caused the death of Françoise Jonckheere by failing to control hazardous asbestos exposures despite knowing that such exposures could harm human health. Speaking outside the court on the day that ruling was announced her son Eric said: “Ils savaient!” [They knew!] On Tuesday, an Eternit spokesperson said: “Eternit is also of the opinion that the principle of fair compensation as defined in the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Brussels is in conformity to its own policy. For this reason Eternit decided not to appeal.” See: Procès de l’amiante: Eternit n’ira pas en cassation [Asbestos trial: Eternit will not go to Supreme Court].

Asbestos and Human Rights

Jun 19, 2017

A one-day hearing is being held in Brussels on June 23, 2017 by the United Nations Special Rapporteur Michel Forst on the safety of human rights defenders working in the field of business and human rights. Information received at this hearing as well as input from a public consultation will be part of a report presented to the UN General Assembly in October 2017. Fernanda Giannasi, a retired Brazilian Labor Inspector, will testify on Thursday about the death threats, attacks and intimidation she has faced in Brazil during her campaign for asbestos justice and a national asbestos ban. See: Report on the Situation of human rights defenders working in the field of business and human rights.

Asbestos Ploy

Apr 1, 2017

On the same day this week that a landmark asbestos victory was achieved by a victim’s family in Belgium, the government announced controversial changes to the operation of the national Asbestos Fund. Since it was established a decade ago, the Fund, co-financed by the state and employers, has built up a surplus. Instead of using this to compensate ineligible claimants – such as people suffering from asbestos-related lung cancer – or finance medical research, future contributions will be frozen until there is a zero surplus. See: Fonds amiante: un financement au rabais (OPINION) [Asbestos Fund: Discount Financing (OPINION)].

Overseas Asbestos Crimes

Mar 16, 2017

A photo-essay depicting the industrial legacy of asbestos processing in India by a company that was part of the Belgian asbestos Eternit-Etex conglomerate has been published in Flemish. The text focuses on the situation in Kymore, a town in central India, which is littered with toxic asbestos waste and built with asbestos cement materials. Personal testimony and evidence has been amassed which document corporate responsibility for widespread environmental contamination. See: Van Kapelle tot Kymore: Etex ook verantwoordelijk voor asbestslachtoffers in India? [From Kapelle to Kymore: Is Etex also responsible for asbestos victims in India?].

Veteran Asbestos Litigant on Radio

Feb 14, 2017

Eric Jonckheere, whose family is on the brink of a landmark legal decision by the Brussels Court of Appeal, gave a radio interview on a telephone call-in show detailing the case and underlining the importance of the decision to be handed down on March 28. After the death of his mother, Eric and his brothers began a 17 year campaign to obtain legal recognition and judicial compensation form the Eternit company which operated the deadly asbestos factory near the family’s home. Eric has, he told the interviewer, lost his father, mother and two brothers to the asbestos cancer mesothelioma. See: Radio Rivierenland praat over asbest: “Ik verloor vier mensen aan asbest” [Riverland radio talking about asbestos: “I lost four people to asbestos”].

70 More Days!

Jan 4, 2017

The family of Françoise Jonckheere, who died from the asbestos cancer mesothelioma in 2000, will have to wait until March 14 for the judgment of the Brussels Appeal Court to be handed down in this ground-breaking case, the first of its kind in Belgium, which seeks to hold the Eternit multinational liable for her death. While the company’s defence team seeks to have the case dismissed as time-barred, lawyers for the Jonckheeres argue that the company allowed toxic exposures to take place despite knowing of the health consequences. See: Procès de l'amiante: la cour d'appel rendra son arrêt le 14 mars [Asbestos trial: the Court of Appeal will deliver its judgment on 14 March].

Appeal Begins in Landmark Case

Jan 3, 2016

Proceedings begin at 9 a.m. on January 3, 2017 at the Brussels Court of Appeal, Civil Division in the ground-breaking case over the asbestos cancer death in 2000 of Françoise Jonckheere (see: Eternit and the Great Asbestos Trial, Chapter 16). In 2011 – in the first asbestos case ever to be heard in a Belgian court – the Belgian multinational Eternit was found liable for Mrs Jonckheere’s death in a verdict which dismissed all the company’s arguments and found it had deliberately downplayed or hid the asbestos danger for years. Eternit was ordered to pay €250,000 in compensation, but the company subsequently lodged an appeal. See: L’amiante se réinvite au tribunal [Asbestos re-invites itself to court].

Trial Date for Iconic Case

Dec 20, 2016

On January 3, 2017, proceedings will commence at the Brussels Court of Appeal, Civil Division, in an appeals hearing brought by the Belgian asbestos multinational Eternit against a 2011 verdict which found the company culpable for the asbestos deaths of several members of the Jonckheere family and ordered that it pay compensation of €250,000 to the family. The Court ruled that Eternit had minimized or hidden facts about the asbestos hazard despite knowing the potential health effects of asbestos exposures. This set a precedent in Belgium as it was the first court verdict for an asbestos death. See: Le début du procès de l'amiante fixé le 3 janvier prochain [The start of the asbestos trial set for January 3].

Data: Lost Asbestos Decades

Dec 13, 2015

The explosive results of research undertaken by Belgian demographers from The Association for the Development of Applied Research in Social Sciences in the asbestos company towns of Harrmignies and Kappelle-op-den-Bos were released yesterday (December 12) and show that workers dying from asbestos-related diseases lost on average 20 years of life. The genesis of this study was the work of former asbestos worker/campaigner Michel Verniers who was the first to take cognizance of the premature loss of life amongst his fellow workers. See: Les travailleurs décédés de l’amiante ontperdu en moyenne vingt années de vie! [Workers who died from asbestos lost on average 20 years of life!]

Labor Federation Call for Asbestos Action

Nov 24, 2015

On November 20, 2015, the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) reaffirmed its call on the European Commission to take urgent action on the EU’s asbestos crisis by seeking innovative solutions to multi-faceted challenges such as remediating asbestos contamination in conjunction with renewing building stock and improving energy efficiency. “The EFBWW sees in this both an opportunity for growth and innovation in the construction sector, and the opportunity to join a range of related, but in our view insufficiently connected, policy areas in a holistic way.” See: Letter by the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers, November 20, 2015.

Call by Labor for Asbestos Eradication

Nov 2, 2015

The European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) has issued its submission to the public consultation on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive which highlighted the “complementarity between the European Commission’s policy on energy performance in buildings and the safe removal of remaining asbestos…” In its position paper, the EFBWW pointed out that the Commission had already indicated that “EU funding and Member State incentives targeting better energy performance in buildings could be linked to the safe removal of asbestos...” See: EFBWW Submission to Public Consultation on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

Calls for EU Asbestos Action

Oct 13, 2015

Written declaration 0037/2015 (September 7, 2015) calling on the European Parliament to take decisive steps to eradicate the asbestos hazard has another two months to attract the signatures of 376 Members of the European Parliament) required for it to be submitted to the European Commission for consideration. The text of this motion, which highlights Europe’s elevated incidence of asbestos-related mortality, calls on the Commission to implement a coordinated asbestos strategy and create a Europe-wide program for the eradication of asbestos from public and private buildings. See: Written Declaration submitted under Rule 136 of the Rules of Procedure on asbestos.

Removal of Asbestos from Schools

Oct 8, 2015

OVAM, the Public Waste Agency of Flanders, has announced the launching of an investigation into the asbestos contamination of 300 schools. Sampling of suspect material, which will be undertaken out of school hours, will begin by the end of this year as part of an asbestos reduction plan which aims to eradicate asbestos from Flanders by 2040. It has been estimated that 3.7 million tonnes of asbestos was used in a variety of products throughout the region until it was banned in 1998. See: OVAM start onderzoek naar asbest in 300 Vlaamse scholen [OVAM start research on asbestos in 300 Flemish schools].

Loch Ness Monster: Asbestos in Schools

Aug 21, 2015

With two weeks until children return to school, results of a survey conducted in Belgium confirm widespread asbestos contamination of the educational infrastructure, with 70% of schools in Namur, a Walloon city in southern Belgium, containing a variety of asbestos materials. Although officials at the Albert Jacquard High School have confirmed the presence of asbestos and warned “there is no immediate danger,” a former teacher admitted that he would not send children to the asbestos contaminated schools. See: Notre enquête exclusive: de l'amiante dans 7 écoles sur 10 [Exclusive survey: asbestos in 7 our of 10 schools].

Europe’s Asbestos Crisis

Jul 1, 2015

A press release issued by European Committees which hosted an asbestos conference last week, reported that more than 47,000 Europeans per year die from asbestos-related diseases. According to Enrico Gibellieri: “Member States and the European Institutions need to take action…We are talking about a lot more than traditionally exposed factory workers, now extending our concern to the children in our schools, the people working in our hospitals and public buildings and anyone living in a house, which affects just about everybody.” See: European Committees raise alarm on Europe's silent epidemic. Asbestos related deaths are predicted to double those of road deaths.

The Fight for Asbestos Justice

Jun 22, 2015

Asbestos victims are gearing up to play their part this week in crucial EU activities to raise the profile of asbestos issues throughout the continent. On June 23 a landmark event will take place when international activists join local people in the small town of Kapelle-op-den-Bos, formerly the headquarters of Belgium’s largest asbestos multinational. This will be the first international mobilization on asbestos to be held in this iconic town. After a vigil outside the site of the factory, the delegation will place a floral tribute at the cemetery and then visit Kapelle’s Mayor Mr. Edward DeWitt. See ABEVA Press Release.

EU Asbestos Conference

Jun 19, 2015

Two European Committees are holding a conference on “Freeing Europe safely from asbestos” in Brussels on June 24, 2015 to quantify Europe’s asbestos epidemic and provide stakeholders the opportunity to discuss actions for tackling the multiple challenges faced. The sessions have been welcomed by asbestos victims groups, trade unions and campaigners. Issues being considered include: the implementation of a safe strategy for asbestos removal, demands for recognition and compensation of victims and measures to protect the public health of EU citizens. See: Freeing Europe safely from Asbestos. More than 300,000 asbestos deaths expected in Europe by 2030.

The Belgian Asbestos Fund

Jun 10, 2015

Since it was established in 2007, The (Belgian) Asbestos Fund has facilitated compensation payments for 2,161 asbestos victims of whom 1,453 had mesothelioma and 735 had asbestosis (some of the claimants had more than one disease). Just over 50% of the mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos at work, 94% of the cases of asbestosis were work-related. In some cases, a lump sum was awarded while in others a monthly pension was paid. Since April 1, 2014, victims of environmental asbestos exposure have been allowed to make claims to the Fund. See: BELGIQUE: 2161 cas indemnisés dans le cadre du fonds amiante depuis 2007 [Belgium: 2161 cases compensated by Asbestos Fund since 2007].

Asbestos Outrage in Brussels

Mar 16, 2015

In December 2014, the Steenacker Company received authorization to store the highest classification of hazardous waste, including asbestos, on their premises. This development is problematic for multiple reasons, including the fact that in 2013 the Belgian company was held responsible for soil pollution and that the location of the company’s premises is near nursery schools and a residential area. The news of this situation has created outrage amongst citizens in the area – a Flemish commune in the Belgian capital – and led to calls for Mayor Frédéric Petit to resign. See: Le stockage d’amiante inquiète écoles et riverains [Asbestos storage concerns schools and residents].

Asbestos in Belgian Schools

Feb 12, 2015

Even before the Belgian TV channel RTBF had the opportunity to broadcast a film exposing the dangerous asbestos contamination of Belgian schools on Feb. 11, 2015, the Belgian Minister of Education at 6:43 a.m. contacted the Belgian asbestos victims’ group ABEVA to request a meeting. This was the first such action by the Minister despite repeated attempts by ABEVA to initiate a dialogue. ABEVA has long been attempting to highlight the asbestos risk to schoolchildren and has urged that the decontamination of schools be regarded as a priority; action should be taken in consultation with all stakeholders (see: ABEVA Press release).

Europe’s Asbestos Derogation

Jan 16, 2015

Responding to a Parliamentary Question by MEP Glenis Willmott, representing the East Midlands, European Commissioner of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elzbieta Bienkowska has confirmed that a report by the European Chemicals Agency regarding the asbestos derogation for the use of chrysotile in diaphragms is being considered by two committees which are expected to deliver their opinions in 2015. Their opinions will inform the Commission’s decision about the continuation of the exemption. Votes on future action will be taken by the REACH Committee, the European Parliament and the European Council. See: Answer by Commissioner Bienkowska.

Mobilization in Asbestos Heartland

Sep 30, 2014

For decades a code of silence prevented people in the asbestos company town of Kapelle-op-den-Bos from speaking out about the epidemic killing employees and local people. A manifestation of how much has changed in recent years was the public rally on Sunday, September 28 in the center of the town which was attended by over 500 people. Participating in the activities were friends and family of Willy Vanderstappen, a politician and activist who died in 2007 of asbestos cancer. During the event, a check for €1000 was presented to Eric Jonckheere, President of ABEVA (the Belgian Association of the Asbestos-Exposed), who grew up in Kapelle-op-den-Bos.

Asbestos and Education: A Bad Mix!

Sep 20, 2014

The Free University of Brussels is riddled with asbestos. Last week journalists were allowed to accompany labor inspectors surveying one of its campuses, along with trade unionists and asbestos experts. Within the university as a whole, it has been estimated that there are 7,000 places where asbestos-containing products are present. The university’s budget would need to be trebled for this public health crisis to be adequately managed. Results of the survey are due out shortly. See: Amiante: l'inspection du travail en visite à l'ULB à la demande des syndicats [Asbestos: labor inspection visits ULB at the request of the unions].

Calls to End EU Asbestos Derogation

Sep 16, 2014

A consultation over proposals to extend a derogation allowing the use of asbestos-containing diaphragms is attracting criticism from the European Trade Union Confederation, the Trade Union Congress, the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) and others. In its submission, IBAS pointed out: “In July 2014 the European Court of Human Rights ruled that asbestos exposures which took place in Malta contravened the rights of Maltese workers; in 2014, there can be no excuse to allow asbestos use to persist in Europe. Failure to end this derogation will not only lead to more avoidable disease and deaths but may well result in legal action by groups representing European stakeholders.”

Authorities Arrest Toxic Japanese Ship

Jun 11, 2014

The Flemish Environment Ministry has seized a Japanese owned end-of-life ship called Global Spirit which was en route to India. Until the owners provide the authorities with evidence that the toxic ship, believed to contain asbestos as well as other hazardous materials, will be dismantled in accordance with European laws, the vessel will remain in Belgium. The NGO Platform on Shipbreaking, which had highlighted its concerns over the Global Spirit, has issued a press release which calls on the ship’s owners “to find a sustainable solution for their entire fleet – a not only the Global Spirit.” See: Press Release: Japanese End-of-Life Ship Arrested in the Port of Antwerp.

ETUC Rejects EU Asbestos Proposal

Jun 3, 2014

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is calling for an end to the EU derogation which allows chrysotile asbestos diaphragms to be used in the production of chlorine and for rejection of proposals to allow chrysotile asbestos imports into the EU. In comments submitted to the European Chemicals Agency in May 2014, the ETUC said the European Commission and Member States must, in light of the availability of safer asbestos-free substitutes, honor the EU’s commitment to a global asbestos ban. See: ETUC comments on the amendment of entry 6 (asbestos fibres) of REACH ANNEX XVII.

Asbestos Waste in City Streets

May 19, 2014

For decades, Kapelle-op-den-Bos, a municipality in the heart of Belgium, was at the center of the manufacturing operations of the asbestos-cement giant Eternit S.A. Years after the factory’s closure, asbestos-contaminated waste remains a health risk to local residents. Despite assurances that land being prepared for building work in the area near where the factory once stood was safe for development, a 25 cm piece of asbestos-cement pipe was found on this site last week (May 16). This evidence leads one to question the assurances which had been given and the safety of those who are working on the site and who will live in the houses now under construction. See: Photograph by Eric Jonckheere.

Continuing Asbestos Use in EU?

Apr 25, 2014

The European Union (EU) banned the use of asbestos in 2005 with an exemption which permitted the import of diaphragms containing chrysotile asbestos fibers for existing electrolysis cells. Under industry pressure, the European Commission is considering extending this concession indefinitely. In fact, the exemption may be broadened not only to allow the import of diaphragms containing asbestos fibres, but also permit the asbestos fibers needed to maintain them to be brought into Europe. See: Asbestos fibre imports – coming legally to Europe soon? Strong objections are already being raised by victims' groups.(see: ANDEVA letter).

Victims Meet Ministerial Official

Jan 31, 2014

Yesterday (January 30, 2014), a delegation of Belgian campaigners from the asbestos victims’ group ABEVA had a 40-minute private meeting with the Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister on the occasion of a Parliamentary vote on whether the national asbestos fund should be extended. The official received a detailed letter presented to him by ABEVA for the Prime Minister which demanded that a real discussion on the country’s asbestos legacy be initiated. Although some improvements were made yesterday by Parliament to the compensation regime, many victims, such as those with asbestos-related lung cancer, remain unacknowledged.
Source: ABEVA Correspondence.

Asbestos Epidemic Escalates

Jan 20, 2014

Figures released by the Belgian Asbestos Fund confirm a continuing rise in the number asbestos-related deaths over recent years. Commenting on January 19, 2014, a spokesman for the Belgian Asbestos Victims’ Group (ABEVA) warned that the country’s asbestos health catastrophe is far from over. The ABEVA President added that the official figures vastly underestimate the tragic toll asbestos diseases are taking and that most victims are unaware of the financial support available. See: Augmentation du nombre de décès dus à l'amiante: “La catastrophe sanitaire est encore à venir.” [Increase in the number of asbestos deaths: “The health disaster is yet to come.”].

Widespread Asbestos Contamination

Dec 19, 2013

Reacting to research conducted by the Socialist Trade Union, which found non-compliance with asbestos regulations in up to 1,000 public buildings in Brussels, the Belgian asbestos victims' group ABEVA issued a press release calling for effective but non-precipitous action. Previous calls by ABEVA for a joined-up government policy on asbestos had been ignored with dire consequences. Highlighting the potential for contamination of schools, ABEVA recommended the urgent prioritization of remedial work in the educational infrastructure. See: Asbestos in many of Brussels' public buildings.

Asbestos in Phone Booths

Aug 16, 2013

It was announced this week, that a thousand telephone booths in the Belgacom network are contaminated with asbestos. It has not been revealed which of the 3,834 units throughout Belgium are affected by the presence of asbestos in the floors of the booths. Belgacom has said that all the booths will be scrapped by 2015. In the meantime, the company says, there is no risk to the public or repairmen as there is no "asbestos dust escaping." See: De l'amiante dans le plancher d'un millier de cabines téléphoniques [Asbestos in the floor of a thousand telephone booths].

An Asbestos Victim's Battle

Jun 30, 2013

A French language book, entitled My War Against Asbestos, was launched on June 29 in Brussels by Belgian author Eric Jonckheere. Both of Eric's parents and two of his brothers died from cancer caused by exposure to asbestos liberated by the operations of the Eternit factory in Kapelle-op-den-Bos. In a tale which pits David against Goliath, Eric and his family mounted the first lawsuit against Eternit in Belgium for the asbestos death of his mother. This book recounts the obstacles they encountered and the steps taken in their fight for justice. See: Ma Guerre Contre l'Amiante (My War Against Asbestos).

The Long and Winding Road

Jun 20, 2013

On June 19, the launch took place in Brussels of a sourcebook entitled: The long and winding road to an asbestos-free workplace. The 160-page text contains contributions from ten leading experts. The chapters and interviews in the book reveal how pressure from a range of civil society actors increased occupational safeguards for European citizens. An analysis of the legislative changes required to reach this situation is informative. Chapters dealing with national situations reveal the continuing disparity amongst EU member states regarding protection from asbestos. See picture: Seven of the authors attend the book launch and The long and winding road to an asbestos-free workplace.

Launch of Asbestos Book

Jun 17, 2013

At a meeting in Brussels on June 18, Jan Cremers and Rolf Gehring will launch The long and winding road to an asbestos free workplace, a 160-page text that examines the EU's transition from asbestos-consuming to non-asbestos using. Contributions from noted authors reflect on the residual problems Europe is facing due to massive asbestos contamination of its infrastructure and the mounting death toll amongst its population. Contributing author Laurie Kazan-Allen says: "Even after asbestos is banned, a coordinated and prolonged program is required to eradicate hazardous exposures and support the injured." See: The long and winding road to an asbestos free workplace.

Initiative to End Toxic Shipbreaking

Jun 13, 2013

A website that went live today is the result of years of work by the NGO Platform on Shipbreaking, a broad-based coalition of civil society groups, which aims to improve global shipbreaking practices. The online database - Off the Beach - records the names of 2,600 ships sent for breaking on the beaches of South Asia since 2009 as well as the names of 1,000+ shipping companies that sent toxic ships, most of which contained asbestos, to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan for dismantling at workplaces where labor rights violations and serious environmental contamination are routine. See: Off the Beach website.

Death of Asbestos Defendant

May 21, 2013

It has been reported today that Baron Louis de Cartier de Marchienne, one of two former asbestos executives found guilty by a Turin court for the asbestos deaths of thousands of Italians, has died. Stephan Schmidheiny (Swiss) and Cartier de Marchienne (Belgian) were convicted of causing wilful permanent environmental disaster and failing to comply with safety rules in the 2012 landmark ruling. As a result of this development, claimants can no longer bring legal action against the Belgian or the company (Etex) he represented. An appeal court verdict, which was expected on June 3, 2013, may be delayed by a few days. See: Eternit and the Great Asbestos Trial: Appeal Proceedings.

Toxic Ships Dumped in South Asia

Feb 5, 2013

News released today by the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a Brussels-based organization, documented a "record-breaking number of 365 toxics-laden ships" dumped by European ship owners in South Asia last year. This is a 75% increase from 2011. Calls are being made for the EU to adopt mechanisms to force countries to decontaminate and recycle their own ships. Many of the end-of-life ships that find their way onto beaches in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are contaminated with asbestos. See: Press Release - NGO Shipbreaking Platform.

European Parliament Acts on Asbestos

Jan 26, 2013

A draft report approved on January 23, 2013 by the EU Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls for a coordinated and comprehensive response to Europe's asbestos epidemic. The proposals tabled include the establishment of asbestos screening and registration programs for affected individuals and national asbestos actions plans for the removal of asbestos from all public buildings by 2028. The Committee urged the EU to act with international partners to outlaw the global trade in asbestos and take steps to eliminate the dumping of asbestos products and technologies on developing countries. See: European Parliament backs asbestos crackdown.

European Parliament Asbestos Report

Oct 8, 2012

A "Draft Report on asbestos related occupational health threats and prospects for abolishing all existing asbestos" [2012/2605(INI)] has been presented by Member of the European Parliament Stephen Hughes to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs in Brussels today. The Report is the product of months of research into European asbestos issues as well as an asbestos hearing before the Committee on September 18, 2012. Recommendations include support for the work of asbestos victims' support groups and EU lobbying "to label the asbestos market as a toxic trade." See: Draft Report on asbestos related occupational health threats and prospects for abolishing all existing asbestos.

Polluter Must Pay

May 22, 2012

The Flemish authorities have ordered the former asbestos industrial giant Eternit to pay to decontaminate the site where its asbestos-cement operations spread pollution over decades in the Belgian town of Kapelle op den Bos, according to a press release distributed today by the Belgian Asbestos Victims' Group, ABEVA. Since it was established, ABEVA has been calling on the government to force the polluter to clean up and remediate the site, which remained a threat to people in the area due to the presence of asbestos-containing debris which included broken pipes made of crocidolite asbestos.

Dangerous products sold in EU

May 14, 2012

Despite the fact that the European Union (EU) banned asbestos in 2005, items containing asbestos continue to find their way into European markets. Some of these dangerous products have been identified by inspections in EU Member States as a result of which the authorities have ordered that they be withdrawn from sale. While a number of asbestos-contaminated products such as brake linings, brake pads, fireworks and garden torches have been found, the vast majority of this category of illegal items have been thermal flasks or vacuum jugs, many of which were produced in China. See: The Rapid Alert System for Non-Food Products.

Senate Hearing on Asbestos

Feb 16, 2012

The day after Eternit executives were convicted in Turin for their part in the deaths of thousands of Italians, Belgian asbestos victims presented evidence to the Social Commission of the Belgian Senate documenting the continuing injustices faced by the injured. Comparing the situation in Italy and Belgium, Eric Jonckheere, Co-President of the asbestos victims’ group, said that whereas the polluters had been held to account in Italy, in Belgium negligent corporations continued to evade liability for their asbestos crimes. The existence and operation of the Belgian Asbestos Fund allowed a “law of silence” to continue in Belgium. See: Belgian TV News Program.

EU Asbestos Exports to Asia

Jan 25, 2012

Each year up to three thousand tonnes of asbestos are being sent from European Union countries to South Asia contained within end-of-life vessels according to a report released by the NGO Shipbreaking Platform. The European Commission has promised action on this illegal dumping of toxic waste in March 2012 when it plans to publish new proposals to control the export of EU ships for dismantling in non-EU countries. The "dangerous and polluting practice of breaking ships on tidal beaches" has been highlighted by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Toxics as well as scores of NGOs. See: Media release: NGO releases list of "EU toxic ships" sent to South Asia in 2011.

Eternit Appeals Belgian Verdict

Nov 29, 2011

News has just been received that Eternit, the company at the heart of Belgium's asbestos epidemic, will appeal the decision handed down yesterday by a civil tribunal in Brussels. There was never any doubt that the company would explore every legal option – and then some – to win the lawsuit brought by the family of Francois Jonckheere, so this decision is not unexpected; nevertheless, it is long past time that the asbestos producing companies around the world which were part of the Eternit network were brought to account for the damage they have done to workers, members of the public and the environment. See: Justice for Francoise?

Landmark Victory for Asbestos Victims!

Nov 28, 2011

A court in Brussels has today ruled that Eternit, the former asbestos-cement conglomerate, must pay the family of mesothelioma victim Francoise Jonckheere €250,000 for the fatal environmental exposure to Eternit asbestos she received whilst living near the company's factory in Kapelle-op-den-Bos. The judgment highlighted Eternit's violation of Mrs. Jonckheere's fundamental human rights, including the right to life and the right to family life.
Eternit has a month to appeal the court's decision. It is hoped that this legal breakthrough will open the way for other Belgian victims to sue Eternit for compensation for their asbestos-related diseases. See: Justice for Francoise?

Landmark Case Begins

Oct 23, 2011

Court proceedings begin on Monday, October 24, 2011 in the first Belgian case for death caused by environmental asbestos exposure. The lawsuit, which has taken 11 years to reach court, was initiated by Xavier, Benoit and Eric Jonckheere, the surviving sons of Françoise Jonckheere, who died from mesothelioma as did her husband and two of her sons. The family lived close to an asbestos-cement factory owned by Eternit, a global asbestos conglomerate, where Mrs. Jonckheere's husband had worked as an engineer. This case against Eternit will be heard at the Palais de Justice, Brussels. For more information email: jonckair@gmail.com.

Seminar at European Parliament

Jun 29, 2011

A seminar entitled Asbestos – Still A Killer will be held at the European Parliament on June 30 to focus MEPs attention on the European asbestos epidemic and detail measures to protect citizens from the deadly threat posed by asbestos products incorporated into national infrastructures. This meeting will consider a diverse range of issues such as the ongoing threat posed by asbestos to public and occupational health, measures to raise asbestos awareness, political, legal and legislative developments on both regional and global levels. See: Seminar Press Release.

EU Asbestos Risk

Dec 1, 2010

In a statement responding to questions asked in October 2010 by five Members of the European Parliament, on November 24 the European Commission highlighted the need to increase protection from hazardous asbestos exposures for at-risk workers especially people in the construction sector. New initiatives are under consideration to quantify the incidence of asbestos-related disease in Member States and recommend improvements to EU procedures for preventing further injured and supporting the injured. Recommendations will be made based on a report expected in 2012. See: Relevant EU Parliamentary Questions.