News Archive

Russian asbestos stakeholders are ratcheting up efforts to spread industry propaganda, last week targeting architectural students at the Nizhny Novgorod State University of Civil Engineering. During a lecture by Vladimir Galitsyn, director of the Chrysotile Association, the virtues of chrysotile (white) asbestos were extolled and students were encouraged to use chrysotile construction material. This is one of a series of lectures scheduled for higher and secondary special institutions in Russia. A competition to encourage chrysotile cement use in Russia supplements the current industry offensive. See: Шифер возвращается и остается [Slate comes back and stays].

Asbestos in Schools

Oct 14, 2017

Yesterday (October 13, 2017), Korean lawmakers grilled Environment Minister Kim Eun-kyung about the government’s failure to address widespread asbestos contamination of small – under 1,000 square meters in size – educational premises and after-school institutions, 53% of which contain asbestos building products. Defending the Government, the Minister said that efforts were being made to retrofit buildings used by children to ensure that they were free of asbestos. A study conducted in July found that 47 out of the 53 schools buildings inspected contained asbestos. See: Gov't asbestos management draws fire from lawmaker.

Asbestos in Schools

Oct 13, 2017

A report by the Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) issued on October 11, 2017 calls on the government to prioritize the removal of asbestos from UK schools in a phased program; a failure to do so could result in deadly products remaining in schools until 2050. The report cites a recommendation made by the Public Accounts Committee that a plan be submitted by December 2017 which details the “prevalence, condition and management of asbestos” within school estate areas. A remediation program should remove “all asbestos from schools commencing with the most dangerous first.” See: Why unsafe asbestos may still be in our schools in 2050.

Hazard: Asbestos Waste

Oct 13, 2017

On October 11, 2017 Charity Ngilu, the Governor of Kitui County, Kenya oversaw work by a team of operatives tasked with removing illegally dumped asbestos tiles. Commenting on the incident the Governor said: “People in this area were unhappy because the asbestos [tiles] were disposed here without any safety mechanism. This has led to degradation of environment as well as health problems to the locals around.” The National Environment Management Authority has advised the government to implement initiatives supporting the replacement of asbestos roofing with safer alternatives. See: Governor Ngilu leads team in disposing cancerous asbestos tiles.

Raising Occupational Awareness

Oct 13, 2017

A campaign by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about the hazards posed by occupational exposures to asbestos and other dusts is targeting construction workers, many of whom entered the labor force after asbestos was banned. A lack of asbestos awareness in public and residential structures needs to be addressed. One example was Artex, a widely used decorative asbestos-containing coating. The presence of Artex is a danger for DIYers as well as contractors. “Asbestos is,” the HSE admitted “also worryingly common in school buildings, many of which were built or rebuilt in the 70s and 80s.” See: HSE Warning Shows Importance of Dealing With Dust.

Progress: Ban Asbestos Bill

Oct 13, 2017

On October 11, 2017 the ‘Ana Cecilia Niño’ Ban Asbestos Bill, sponsored by Senator Nadia Blel, was approved by the Seventh Commission of the Colombian Senate. After the draft legislation is approved by the plenary of the Senate, there must be two further debates in the House of Representatives regarding the legislation to end asbestos mining, processing, consumption, sale and export. The bill allows for a five-year phase-out period during which industry stakeholders must make the transition to an alternative and safer technology. See: En primer debate, Congreso aprobó la ley que prohibe uso del asbestos [In the first debate, Congress passed law prohibiting asbestos use].

Distortion of Science

Oct 11, 2017

In a misleading press release issued today (October 11, 2017) by the pro-asbestos “International Trade Unions Movement for Chrysotile,” research by Spanish scientists is twisted to confirm “the safety of chrysotile (white asbestos).” In fact, the authors despite having only found amphibole fibers in Spanish lung samples, concluded that “Spain and other southern European countries… [are] at a high risk to develop asbestos-related diseases in the years to come.” The relative speed with which chrysotile can be cleared from the lungs is a red herring; even 48 hours of chrysotile exposure can initiate disease formation. See: “Groundbreaking Scientific Study Proves Chrysotile asbestos is not a Cause of Disease”.

Senate Considers Asbestos Ban

Oct 11, 2017

This week social media has been flooded with support for a ban asbestos bill named in honor of mesothelioma victim Ana Cecilia Niño. The draft legislation is sponsored by Senator Nadia Blel and will be debated in the Colombian Congress today (October 11). This is the 8th time the Senate has considered taking action on the asbestos hazard in a country which mines, manufactures, consumes and sells asbestos fiber and asbestos-consuming products. A recent demonstration by Greenpeace in the center of the capital called on Senators to make Colombia asbestos-free! See: TV coverage of Colombia’s campaign to ban asbestos.

New Compensation Fund

Oct 11, 2017

The Spanish Congress of Deputies by a vote of 193 to 127 yesterday (October 10, 2017) approved plans to establish a national compensation fund for asbestos victims following the submission of a proposal by the Basque Parliament. During the debate, Deputy Rocío de Frutos said that asbestos exposures had created a “labor genocide” and that the government’s failure to act made it complicit in this catastrophe. The Congress will now consider the details of setting up such a body in consultation with political groups and stakeholders. See: El Gobierno creará un fondo para ayudar a las cuatro mil víctimas del Amianto [The Government will create a fund to help 4,000 asbestos victims].

Old Hazard, New Technology

Oct 10, 2017

In a clash of the old and the new, asbestos contamination of a building destined to be the new Apple headquarters in Milan has delayed the opening of the store from December 2017 until the summer of 2018. Asbestos-containing pipes and construction material were found in the building which used to house the Apollo cinema. The new Apple Store, will, its proponents hope “become an open place to meet friends, take a walk and participate in cultural events.” See: Amianto nell’ex cinema Apollo, slitta l’apertura dell’Apple Store di Piazza Liberty a Milano [Asbestos in the former Apollo cinema, delays opening of the Apple Store in Milan’s Liberty Square].

Asbestos-Free Schools

Oct 10, 2017

As of November 2016, minimum norms and standards adopted for schools in KwaZulu-Natal were adopted by the Department of Basic Education which stipulated that educational premises must have water, electricity and toilets, and that the constructions must not be built of wood, mud, asbestos, or zinc. Over the past three weeks, strong winds and rain have affected more than 300 schools around the province; pupils at the Enkangala Secondary School in Weenen, which was destroyed in heavy rains last week, will be having lessons outdoors until other arrangements can be made. See: School down to one wobbly classroom.

Asbestos: Fake News!

Oct 9, 2017

The participation of David Bernstein in a Hanoi conference on October 6, 2017 was reported by a Vietnamese newspaper, along with his comments that “white asbestos is not cancerous like the blue and brown varieties.” Activists in Vietnam have exposed this report as false saying that Bernstein came to Vietnam some years ago and that the Hanoi asbestos meeting on October 6 affirmed “the harm of white Asbestos to human health…” See: Xem xét thận trọng, khách quan, khoa học, toàn diện về vấn đề Amiang trắng [An objective and scientific consideration of white Asbestos].

Another Asbestos Tragedy!

Oct 9, 2017

In March 2015, renowned Spanish philosopher Jesús Mosterín reported that he had contracted the asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. He recalled exposures to asbestos from a small factory near where he played as a young child in Bilbao and from asbestos products present in university premises where he studied in MIT’s Department of Linguistics and Philosophy in the US. He had never worked with asbestos. Jesús Mosterín died from mesothelioma on October 4, 2017. See: Un mesotelioma eminente (En memoria de Jesús Mosterín, otra víctima del amianto) [An eminent mesothelioma (In memory of Jesús Mosterín, another victim of asbestos)].

Asbestos and Public Health

Oct 9, 2017

A study to quantify mesothelioma incidence in Italian “national priority” contaminated sites has concluded that: “asbestos pollution is a risk for people living in polluted areas, due to not only occupational exposure in industrial settings with direct use of asbestos but also the presence of asbestos in the environment.” In the study period, an excess of mesothelioma incidence was found in sites with known past history of direct use of asbestos such as Balangero, Casale Monferrato and Broni, in sites with shipyards and harbors (eg, Trieste, La Spezia, Venice, and Leghorn), but also in areas without documented direct use. See: Mesothelioma incidence and asbestos exposure in Italian national priority contaminated sites.

New Asbestos Maritime Protocol

Oct 9, 2017

A French decree published on October 5, 2017, reinforces 1998 regulations pertaining to the prevention of asbestos exposures aboard ships; its provisions will become mandatory on July 1, 2018 for most French ships – exceptions being fishing vessels less than 12 meters in length and personal boats, which have a deferred deadline of January 1, 2019. Shipowners are required to contract accredited specialists to conduct asbestos audits and ensure that airborne asbestos levels do not exceed stipulated thresholds; after the initial tests, inspections will be required every three years. See: Amiante dans les navires : un décret renforce l'obligation de repérage [Asbestos in ships: a decree strengthens duty to audit].

Scandal at the Opera House

Oct 6, 2017

Two months after members of the Electrical Trades Union renovating the Sydney Opera House discovered they were being exposed to asbestos, another discovery was made by workers installing cabling. A spokesperson for building company Laing O'Rourke confirmed that “unexpected” finds of asbestos has been made this week despite the existence of a “comprehensive” Asbestos Management Plan. After the August incident, SafeWork NSW issued improvement notices which gave the company seven days to remove the asbestos or eliminate the threat. The at-risk electricians have now walked off the job. See: Sydney Opera House electricians walk off the job due to confirmed asbestos.

Asbestos: Occupational Hazard

Oct 6, 2017

A Russian language online article recapping the contents of a feature published on October 4, 2017 in Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper states that asbestos is one of the top causes of occupational cancer in the Canadian Province of Ontario. “Asbestos is a threat to life and health… and remains the most dangerous carcinogen” causing 770 occupational cancers in Ontario every year as well as 15 cases of larynx and ovarian cancers. See: Ученые выявили главные факторы возникновения рака на работе [Scientists have identified the main factors of cancer at work].

Bahia Victims’ Victory

Oct 6, 2017

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) in Vitória da Conquista in Brazil’s Bahia state has ordered the asbestos mining company Sama Minera Associadas to comply with a court order awarding 11 claimants, injured by exposure to asbestos liberated by the company’s operations, the medical costs for their illnesses, including payment for all clinical treatments plus medications and equipment required, and a life-time monthly stipend equal to one and a half times the minimum wage. See: MPF de Vitória da Conquista pede pagamento de indenização a vítimas de amianto da Sama [MPF of Vitoria da Conquista orders compensation payments to Sama’s asbestos victims].

Asbestos Compensation Fund

Oct 6, 2017

A debate on the establishment of a compensation fund for Basque asbestos victims is scheduled to take place in the Basque Parliament next week. The draft legislation details the nature and organization of the fund, economic resourcing and organizational structure; it also stipulates that claimants should receive compensation payments in under six months. Between 1994 and 2008 3,943 people died in Spain from asbestos-related diseases. See: La ley vasca para compensar a víctimas del amianto llega la próxima semana al Pleno del Congreso [A Basque law to create an asbestos compensation fund will be debated next week].

Asbestos Hotlines!

Oct 4, 2017

Today and tomorrow (October 4 & 5), Japan’s Association of Asbestos Victims and their Families in cooperation with legal professionals are holding a free telephone consultation service to provide support and advice to asbestos victims. This service, which is always over-subscribed, will be even more so in light of advice issued on October 2, 2017 by the Ministry of Labor urging asbestos victims to sue the Government for compensation!

See Photo: Abestos hotline service.

Ontario’s Asbestos Epidemic

Oct 4, 2017

An article in the Globe and Mail, a nationally distributed newspaper, has named asbestos as one of the top carcinogens causing an epidemic of occupational cancer in Ontario. According to a paper released today (October 4) by the Occupational Research Centre and Cancer Care Ontario (OCRC), exposure to asbestos causes 630 cases of occupational lung cancer and 140 of mesothelioma in the Province every year. "Asbestos is,” said OCRC Director Dr. Paul Demers, “still our worst carcinogen, or nightmare, depending upon your choice of words.” See: Workplace carcinogens lead to thousands of cancer cases in Ontario each year: study.

Parliament Asbestos Debate

Oct 4, 2017

On October 3, 2017, Members of the Portuguese Parliament discussed a draft bill proposed by Heloísa Apolónia of the Green Party (see: YouTube clip) to make asbestos audits mandatory for all commercial buildings; such surveys are already required for state-owned buildings such as schools and hospitals. A deadline of 2020 has been set for the removal of asbestos from all 4,200 government buildings across the country. The proposal requires companies to collaborate with workers’ and employers’ associations to design and implement an asbestos surveying program. See: Survey of companies containing asbestos debated in parliament.

Mesothelioma Court Victory

Oct 4, 2017

A shipyard worker’s family was awarded £340,000 compensation by Lord Clarke sitting in the Edinburgh Court of Session yesterday (October 3, 2017) for his death from mesothelioma caused by occupational asbestos exposures whilst employed by the firm of Henry Robb Ltd. George Manson died aged 81 in February 2016; he had worked at the Leith shipyard in the 1960s. The company admitted that it had not done enough to protect Mr. Mason from toxic exposures. See: October 3, 2017 verdict in the case of George Manson & Others v. Henry Robb Ltd.

Canada’s New Asbestos Ban

Oct 4, 2017

The dramatic transition made by Canada under the Trudeau Government from an asbestos-producing to an asbestos ban country is examined in this article, based on a recent journal publication by Kathleen Ruff, which pointed out that “Less than ten years ago, the asbestos industry enjoyed the support of every Quebec and Canadian political party…” The role of academics, health professionals and scientists from Quebec was crucial in discounting skewed industry propaganda and promoting independent scientific evidence of the harmful nature of asbestos exposures. See: “Scientists cannot be silenced” The story behind how Canada finally banned asbestos.

Ministry Encourages Victims’ Lawsuits

Oct 2, 2017

Today (October 2, 2017), a spokesperson for Japan’s Labor Ministry said it is encouraging former asbestos plant workers with occupational diseases and the families of deceased workers to file lawsuits against the government so that compensation payouts can be made to thousands of asbestos claimants eligible to receive them after a 2014 Supreme Court decision found the government responsible for asbestos exposures affecting plant workers in Osaka Prefecture. By the end of last month ¥2.1 billion (US$18 million+) had been paid out to 236 plaintiffs; another 197 claims are being processed. See: Former workers exposed to asbestos urged to sue Japanese government to claim damages.