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The April 20th informative article cited below detailed the growing global scandal over discoveries of asbestos fibers in children’s toys in 12+ countries and asked why the alarm had yet to be sounded in the US. When a spokesperson at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was asked about the discrepancy, he replied that the CPSC was “monitoring the issue, and that it will take action if needed.” No asbestos recalls of children’s toys have been reported in the US in 2025-26. Consumer rights’ campaigners and asbestos victims’ activists are urging regulators to take action in order to prevent toxic exposures. See: Asbestos in Children's Play Sand Triggers Recalls in at Least a Dozen Countries.

On May 1, 2026, the UK’s Office of Product Safety Standards announced two more product recalls. Both of the recalled items came from China; the same warning was given in both cases: “Hazard: The product presents a risk to health as the sand may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos.” One of the items recalled that day was Craft Time Sand Art Bracelets, sold by Home Bargains, and the other one was Stretchy Gorilla Toys, sold by Home.

On May 3, 2026, the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) of Oman issued a nationwide alert over asbestos contamination found in Addo Creative Candles – Edition Four (model number B-19180-318). The toxic product was manufactured in China. According to the results of tests conducted by the authorities, the “possible presence of trace amounts of asbestos” were identified. In April the CPA also warned consumers about asbestos in certain children’s toys and reassured consumers that local markets and e-commerce platforms would continue to be monitored “to ensure that traded products comply with the approved requirements and standards.” See: Addo brand’s candle toys recalled over asbestos: CPA.

On May 1, 2026, another contaminated sand activity toy was recalled in France. The toxic item, which was recalled from end-users by retailer Meiest, was labelled “Meiest 7 Pack of colorful magic sand sand activity toy.” The reason given for the withdrawal of the toy was: “The product contains asbestos fibers. Asbestos can cause cancer.” Other magic sand and activity sand Meiest products had been recalled previously. See: Rappel Conso: MEIEST rappelle MEIEST 7 Pack de sable magique coloré Jouet d'activité de sable [Consumer Recall: MEIEST recalls MEIEST 7 Pack of colorful magic sand sand activity toy].

On May 3-22, 2026, the Asbestos Environmental Health Center of Cheonan Hospital will conduct health impact assessments of people from the Gwangcheon-eup area of Hongseong-gun, Chungcheongnam-do which was formerly home to Asia's largest asbestos mine. During that time staff will conduct interviews and carry out a series of medical tests involving 350 residents from 12 villages including: Yongyeong-ri, Daepyeong-ri, Naejuk-ri, Gaja-ri, Byeokgye-ri, Damsan-ri, Ongam-ri, Maehyeon-ri, Wilim-ri, Shinjin-ri, Soam-ri, and Gwangcheon-ri. See: 석면 관련 질병 예방·치료, 순천향대 천안병원이 간다 [Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital Continues to Prevent and Treat Asbestos-Related Diseases].

On April 30, 2026, the Croatian Parliament approved measures to implement EU Directive 2023/2668 which will increase workplace asbestos protections. According to the news report cited below: “The most notable change is a sharp reduction in the permissible asbestos exposure limit. The threshold has been lowered tenfold, from 0.1 to 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre of air.” The deadline for achieving this reduction is December 20, 2029. Data from the Croatian Institute of Public Health reported that between 2009 and 2025 1,830 asbestos-related cases due to occupational exposure were recognized in Croatia. See: Croatia introduces stricter asbestos rules to strengthen worker protection.

Proceedings began in the High Court in London on April 29, 2026 in a case brought on behalf of 7,111 claimants against the US pharmaceutical giant: Johnson & Johnson (J&J). The plaintiffs allege that their use of J&J’s asbestos-contaminated talc-based baby powder caused them to contract ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, the signature cancer related to asbestos exposure. According to media reports, this case is “set to become the largest product liability case in UK history.” Tens of thousands of similar cases which were lodged in US courts were frozen as a result of corporate schemes including various attempts to declare bankruptcy. See: Claimants in Johnson & Johnson talcum powder case rise to 7,000.

On April 28, 2026, the EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products (Safety Gate) issued Alert number: SR/01297/26 for MEIEST Sand activity toy, a product mostly sold on Amazon. The Chinese-made toy “contains asbestos fibres”. Two days later, EU notification SR/01319/26 recalled Sand tub, Yellow – “The product contains asbestos fibres” – and notification SR/01318/26 recalled Glow sand art – “The play sand contains asbestos fibres.” Both of the products were made in and exported from China and had originally been recalled in The Netherlands. See: Alert number: SR/01319/26. Sand tub and Alert number: SR/01318/26. Glow sand art.

Civil society groups united in their determination to remember Italy’s tragic asbestos legacy supported a series of high-profile public events on April 29 to remember those lost to asbestos-related diseases. A thousand local high school students played a prominent role in the project called “The faces of asbestos” by mounting a march through the town of Casale Monferrato, the epicenter of the national asbestos epidemic. The Association of Families and Victims of Asbestos of Casale Monferrato (AFeVA) and partnering groups remain as committed as ever to the goals of remembrance, research and rehabilitation. See: “I volti dell’amianto”, con gli alunni e studenti delle scuole Casale Monferrato [“The faces of asbestos,” with the pupils and students of Casale Monferrato schools].

The 22-page must read complaint cited below was written by David Dingwall and Elle Chrisp, both of whom were affected by the ongoing scandal in New Zealand regarding the sale of asbestos-contaminated sand and playsets. It is a detailed and well-referenced exposition of the events which took place and the actions or lack of actions of the stakeholders involved, including: the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), WorkSafe New Zealand, the Commerce Commission, the Ministry of Education and Kmart, a well-known discount department store chain in New Zealand. See: “LOW PRICES FOR LIFE” …NO REGARD FOR YOURS How a retail giant supplied friable asbestos to Kiwi kids… and is getting away with it.

Two government consultations were launched on March 31, 2026 by the Office of Product Safety Standards of the UK’s Department for Business and Trade; the deadline for submissions was June 23, 2026. Replies from stakeholders regarding how the current product safety framework could be updated to better address developments and trends were encouraged. The second subject under investigation related to the changes needed to improve and expedite the enforcement of product safety regulations. See: Product regulation: the UK’s new product safety framework and Product regulation: market surveillance and enforcement framework.

New data from the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the northeast of the country, highlighted the price paid by inhabitants for the area’s deadly asbestos legacy. According to the National Mesothelioma Registry between 1995 and 2025, 1,574 cases of pleural mesothelioma and 128 cases of peritoneal mesothelioma were recorded in the region. The majority of those affected were men (85%). The worst affected provinces in Friuli Venezia Giulia were Trieste and Gorizia, both of which were home to many people who had worked in the shipyards. See: L'ombra lunga dell'amianto [The long shadow of asbestos].

Christchurch parents Elle Chrisp and David Dingwall are taking retailer Kmart to New Zealand’s Disputes Tribunal to reclaim costs incurred in dealing with the aftermath of their purchases of asbestos-contaminated children’s products. The sums involved are considerable, as the asbestos decontamination work on their homes ran into “tens of thousands” of dollars. They also submitted complaints to the regulators – the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, Worksafe, Customs and the Commerce Commission. See: Parents take Kmart to Disputes Tribunal over play sand containing asbestos.

Three months after an article in The Guardian newspaper set off a tidal wave of media coverage of an unfolding national asbestos scandal, another article was published by the same journalist. From the April 27th report by Anna Tims, it seems that the UK Government’s policy on the sale of asbestos-contaminated children’s products had undergone a remarkable shift from complacency to anger, with Kate Dearden, the minister for product safety, saying: “It is staggering toys are being sold with asbestos. We’re taking action with new measures to strengthen consumer protection and clamp down on irresponsible sellers... any products which test positive for asbestos are removed from sale and recalled.” See: Dozens of toys recalled in the UK after asbestos found in play sand.

Work at a building in Badhoevedorp, a town in the Western Netherlands, was stopped at the end of March, 2026 by the Dutch Labour Inspectorate as a result of complaints about working conditions and a report by the FNV – the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation. Inspectors found that asbestos had been illegally removed and that workers had not been provided with protective clothing or respiratory protection equipment. As the dutyholder, the owner of the building was responsible for ensuring compliance with all health and safety regulations. The owner was named as the offending party in the case and a penalty report is expected. See: Illegale asbestsanering in Badhoevedorp [Illegal asbestos removal in Badhoevedorp].

Amongst the 500+ names on the Asbestos Memorial Wall in Clydebank, Scotland is that of Christine Jardine’s Mother: Agnes (Nessie). In a recent commentary in The Scotsman newspaper Jardine, the MP for Edinburgh West, cited official data about the UK’s asbestos death toll and remembered going to the victims’ support group, Clydeside Action on Asbestos (CAA), with her Mum, who had been exposed to asbestos during her time working in the office of John Brown shipyard. “As we walked in (to CAA), she was greeted by the man who had been the yard’s shop steward. They had shared their working lives and now the condition which would take their lives.” See: Why Clydebank has one of the world’s worst records for asbestos-related diseases.

When it comes to asbestos, I have learned that nothing is ever straightforward. For that reason it pays to closely investigate the facts as they are presented. Earlier this week, I happened to chance upon a document uploaded in February 2026 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) which showed stunning decreases in global asbestos output in 2024 & 2025 as well as a rapid decline in Russian asbestos production levels. As Russia has for decades been the world’s largest asbestos supplier, the data was both pertinent and encouraging. Unfortunately, the reality was slightly different to that suggested by the data. [Read full article]

In an open letter to UK Minister Kate Dearden which was uploaded today (May 1), representatives of UK asbestos victim support groups, campaigning organizations and asbestos cancer charities expressed concern about government delays in addressing the health hazard posed by the import of sand, playsets and stretchy toys contaminated with asbestos. News of a recent EU trade mission to China to discuss the need to remove “dangerous toys from the market before they reach children…” was reported. “In 2026, there is,” the letter concluded “no excuse for the sale of carcinogenic children’s toys in the UK.” [Read full article]

On April 15, 2026, the Asbestos Sub-Group of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health held a two-hour event entitled Asbestos: Protecting Tomorrow’s Victims, Protecting Today’s Patients in the House of Commons. Each of the presentations constituted a vital part in creating a panorama of ongoing national asbestos challenges. From the lived experiences of a mesothelioma sufferer, to the legal torture of securing compensation, to the battle for timely and state-of-the-art medical care, to the solutions for eradicating the asbestos hazard, each subject was succinctly, straightforwardly and sympathetically explained. [Read full article]

The fallout from the import of asbestos-contaminated toys from China continues, with a huge range of responses from national regulators. While some acted promptly to protect children, others remained in denial about the hazard. Oversight protocols introduced prior to the explosion of e-commerce trade via online marketplaces were blamed for the loopholes through which dangerous items were allowed to enter retail product streams. Earlier this month, an EU delegation to China discussed what needs to be done “to ensure companies are held accountable when rules are not followed.” [Read full article]

On April 2, 2026 a news release was featured on the website of the Building and Wood Workers’ International which expressed the serious concerns of dozens of civil society groups about foreign intervention in the democratic process to derail well-established plans to end asbestos import and use in Malaysia. The global mouthpiece representing asbestos vested interests – the International Chrysotile Association (ICA) – was accused of “once again attempting to hijack our national policy” and subvert work to implement national prohibitions. “Banning asbestos is,” the text said “fundamentally a matter of national interest… Our fate and our health must be decided by Malaysians, for Malaysians. Leave no room for the asbestos industry to dictate our future.” [Read full article]

On April 2, 2026, 300 delegates convened in Cambodia’s capital for a government-sponsored consultation to examine the country’s strategy for implementing asbestos prohibitions. Central to the discussions was a 60-page publication launched at the meeting: the Economic Impact Assessment Related to the Use of Asbestos (EIA). To this end, one of the EIA’s authors was in attendance to answer questions. The Executive Summary of the EIA was uncompromising in its findings: “The economic assessment of a proposed ban on asbestos containing materials and raw asbestos fibres was found to be economically viable, with the health benefits from avoided disease far outweighing the cost of implementation and transition by a ratio of 4:1, even under conservative assumptions.” [Read full article]

A timely and informative article by Merlin Chowkwanyun, PhD, MPH from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City has been reproduced on this website with the author’s blessing. The text reported a rare retraction by The Lancet, “one of the oldest and most prestigious academic journals,” of an unsigned 1997 commentary that discounted the hazard posed by the use of personal hygiene products contaminated with asbestos. The disavowal of the commentary resulted from a discovery made by American researchers – Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner – who were able to provide evidence showing that the contentious text had been written by a consultant paid by Johnson & Johnson, who had shared the draft with company officials and made changes based on their comments. [Read full article]

On January 23 2026, the Canadian government uploaded a 64-page document entitled: Draft Guidance on Asbestos in Drinking Water at the start of a 60-day public consultation process. Interested stakeholders were invited to submit comments before March 24, 2026. The joint submission by Prevent Cancer Now, Canadian Environmental Law Association and Friends of the Earth Canada is informative not only about the current situation in Canada but also has implications for people in many other jurisdictions who are dealing with the adverse fallout from the continuing use of deteriorating asbestos-cement water pipes. We are very grateful for the permission received to upload this document. [Read full article]

For the first time since 1950, annual global asbestos production fell to less than a million tonnes in 2024. This was not a blip, as the low level of production was repeated the following year. Dwindling global output generates less money for propaganda campaigns, international love-ins and aggressive political lobbying by asbestos stakeholders. Industry-funded bodies, such as the International Chrysotile Association, are hanging on by their fingertips; many of these industry fronts have been dissolved or disappeared. The simple chart featured in this article is an accurate and useful depiction of the truth denied by vested interests: the asbestos industry is terminal. The sooner the plug is pulled, the better. [Read full article]

Like pretty much every other country, Britain has a lethal asbestos legacy which continues to endanger the lives of its citizens. Our public buildings, water delivery systems and homes were not only built with asbestos but also currently contain articles contaminated by it such as imported children’s toys, hygiene products and make-up sets. Whilst some of the consequences of toxic exposures have been quantified, others remain unrecognized and unacknowledged. The hazard posed by children playing with craft and play-sand sets and stretchy rubber figures that contain chrysotile and/or tremolite asbestos fibers is extremely concerning. [Read full article]

Late last year, news began circulating about asbestos contamination of imported children’s playsets in Australia and New Zealand. Every day seemed to bring news of more discoveries and school closures. As concurrent recalls were issued by Canberra and Wellington, in Britain and elsewhere the sale of the toxic products continued. By February, a few European governments were acknowledging the hazard and one or two were actually taking action. No coverage of this scandal has been seen in media reports from North or Latin America or Asia, with the exception of Japan. Of course, we don’t know if these contaminated play sand sets and figurines were exported there but given the carcinogenicity of asbestos and the fact that these products are used by children wouldn’t it be better to be sure? [Read full article]

The repercussions of discoveries made in Australia and New Zealand in November 2025, have been reverberating around the globe ever since. Whilst the speed with which countries engaged with the scientific findings varied, there was no denying the public concern over asbestos contamination of craft and kinetic sand products and other toys. A commentary by Asbestos Consultant & Occupational Hygienist Benjamin Alford from Auckland, New Zealand provided clear-cut explanations and graphic images to demystify the key issues involved. Concluding his text, Aflord noted: “The long-term win isn’t more headlines; it’s better upstream control, better method selection, and fewer families learning what ‘tremolite’ means from a recall notice.” [Read full article]

The well-known phrase in the article title is attributed to the 19th century British statesman William Gladstone. These words have been ringing in my ears since February 11, 2026 when I heard the latest news in the long-running battle for justice by Italian asbestos victims. Although the Swiss asbestos billionaire Stephan Schmidheiny was found guilty for the asbestos deaths of hundreds of Italians by lower and appeal courts, in 2014 & 2025 the Supreme Court quashed the convictions on technical grounds. This month, a 2025 guilty verdict was sent back to Turin with an order to have the 600+ page judgment translated into German, the defendant’s mother tongue. According to campaigner Nicola Pondrano, who is still reeling from this decision: “The sense of injustice and the bitterness felt by the whole community is immense.” [Read full article]

The existence of abandoned mining towns is a reality in many parts of the world where hordes of adventurers had once sought riches from wealth-giving gold, silver and other minerals. Two such communities, built on asbestos hopes and fueled by asbestos profits, were Cassiar, Canada and Wittenoom, Australia. Once the seams of asbestos no longer proved viable, the towns built around them were redundant. Comparing the histories of Cassiar and Wittenoom revealed both similarities and differences in the lived experiences of workers and their families as well as the deadly consequences of the time spent in the toxic towns. [Read full article]

In December 2025, Dr Helen Clayson had the opportunity to visit the Archives and Special Collections department in the Andersonian Library, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow to peruse some of the material in its asbestos archives. With the help of assistant archivist Rachael Jones, Dr Clayson examined historical documents, industry reports and revealing photographs. This material, she reported, helps “us to understand how a major public health issue took so long to come to attention and for victims to be recognised, supported and financially compensated.” [Read full article]

The Saturday, January 24, 2026 issue of The Guardian newspaper ran a story entitled Asbestos found in children’s play sand sold in UK, which confirmed that asbestos-contaminated colored sand had been sold in the UK by the nationwide chain Hobbycraft. The company withdrew the product from its shelves but did not recall it, saying that there had been no government warning. A Westminster spokesperson criticized Hobbycraft’s half measures, saying “there’s no good reason why Hobbycraft shouldn’t recall this themselves, given the evidence;” whilst the Department for Business and Trade resorted to its standard rhetoric defending the country’s “robust product safety laws” and “strict criteria.” You couldn’t make it up! [Read full article]

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Demonstration in Woluwe Park, Brussels, 2006

Under cloudy skies, members of Belgian and French Asbestos Victims' Associations from Dunkirk and Bourgogne marched side-by-side in the third annual demonstration organized by ABEVA, the Belgian Association of Asbestos Victims. Erik Jonckheere, ABEVA's Co-chairman, condemned the government which still refuses to recognize the plight of the asbestos injured.

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