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At a press conference on June 4, 2026, researchers from Hiroshima University, Japan announced that a new drug had been designed for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma which employed a type of microRNA naturally occurring in the body. By turning on an “aging switch,” the new drug suppressed cancer progression. An international clinical trial system is being established to conduct next-stage clinical trials. It is hoped that the therapy will gain approval from the Japanese Government in 2031-32. See: アスベストが原因?悪性胸膜中皮腫の治療に光 広島大など安全性確認 [Asbestos-linked cancer? Hope for treating malignant pleural mesothelioma; Hiroshima University and others confirm safety].

In a ruling handed down last week by a court in Genoa, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) was ordered to pay compensation of €500,000 (US$ 570,000) to the family of a worker who had died from the signature asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. During his military service, the deceased had been exposed to asbestos whilst employed as a boilermaker at the La Spezia military arsenal in Ligura, Italy. See: Amianto, muore operaio. Ministero condannato al maxi risarcimento [Asbestos, worker dies. Ministry ordered to pay maximum compensation].

On June 23, 2026, the Danish Parliament considered a proposal from the Danish Democrats to establish a training scheme so that “private individuals can remove asbestos roofs from their own homes.” Under the proposal, non-specialists would be allowed to take a course which would, once completed, provide them with “a limited, personal authorization to demolish their own asbestos-containing roof.” The motivation for this proposal is the rising cost of asbestos removal technicians. See: 3F’s byggegruppe: At lade private udføre asbestarbejde svarer til at køre over for rødt lys [3F's construction group: Letting private individuals carry out asbestos work is like running a red light].

A clinical trial – SELECTmeso1 – run by a Leicester research team, under the leadership of Professor Dean Fennell, and collaborators in Southampton, led by Professor Gareth Griffiths, is investigating the use of a new personalized treatment for mesothelioma patients. The focus of the pioneering initiative is whether a targeted cancer treatment can improve outcomes for those patients with the MTAP genetic biomarker. The first patients for the trial have been recruited by staff at the Leicester Royal Infirmary; in due course, patients will also be able to access the trial at ten other UK hospitals. See: Finding the right target: Personalising treatment for an aggressive asbestos-linked cancer.

The text cited below, which appeared on June 23, 2026 on the news portal of the Russian News Agency (TASS), reported yet another asbestos industry ploy to increase domestic asbestos consumption. According to scientists from the Perm National Research Polytechnic University, the use of chrysotile (white) asbestos fibers in road surfaces increased strength and longevity by 30-40%. There was no mention in the article that chrysotile asbestos had been designated by international agencies as a group 1 carcinogen. See: Найден способ замедлить разрушение асфальта на дорогах на 30-40% [A way has been found to slow down the destruction of asphalt on roads by 30-40%].

A joint response by the Office of Product Safety and Standards, the UK Health Security Agency and the Health and Safety Executive was issued on June 19, 2026 to address the ongoing scandal posed by the sale of asbestos-contaminated toys in the UK. Once again, the Government asserted that: the “UK product safety framework provides a robust level of protection”; “in the UK there is a zero-tolerance approach to asbestos in consumer products”; “the presence of asbestos in a consumer product does not always mean there is an immediate danger to health.” Blah-blah-blah. See: Government response. Joint Statement on Asbestos in Consumer Products.

A stunning addition to the asbestos series undertaken by Confront Power – “an independent, not-for-profit investigative journalism platform” – revealed that less than 0.15% of the compensation paid by a Turner & Newall (T&N) trust fund had gone to the company’s former workers in Africa. T&N owned and operated asbestos mines and factories in South Africa, Nigeria, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia. According to recent data from the trust’s annual accounts “only 101 people from the region have received a total of £191,000 (US$253,000) in compensation.” See: Negligible compensation for Turner & Newall’s asbestos-exposed African workforce.

During “an act of recognition and redress” in the Catalan Parliament, President Josep Rull apologized to Catalonia’s asbestos victims for “institutional indolence” and asked for their forgiveness. The President said that Catalonia’s toxic asbestos legacy “continues to be a major public health problem and a first-rate environmental challenge.” A spokesperson for the victims said that extra resources were essential for a successful implementation of the planned eradication program. See: The Parliament asks for forgiveness from the asbestos victims in Catalonia.

The document cited below announced plans by the East Java Consumer Protection Foundation and the Indonesian Ministry of Industry to finalize agreements with the Russian Government which would lock Indonesia into many more years of asbestos consumption via importation of Russian fiber to enable the continued production of asbestos-containing materials for domestic use. Memorandums of Understanding will be signed by officials at a trade exhibition – INNOPROM 2026 – in Yekaterinburg, Russia in July, 2026. See: Akselerasi Riset Krisotil Asbes: Indonesia Bidik Kerja Sama Strategis di INNOPROM 2026 [Accelerating Chrysotile Asbestos Research: Indonesia Targets Strategic Partnership at INNOPROM 2026].

Following an investigation by The Times newspaper, it was revealed last week that asbestos-containing parts were found in at least 1,000 British wind turbines. The banned substance was in lift and hoist brakes exported from China. Commenting on this distressing news Louise Gilmour, the secretary of GMB Scotland, said: “Our country banned asbestos decades ago because it was killing workers and their families, but we now pay for it to be ferried here from the other side of the world and then pay again to remove it?” See: Asbestos found in China-sourced wind turbine parts.

At a press conference on June 19, 2026, Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar reiterated his government’s expectations that Austrian citizens would be held to account for selling and transporting asbestos-containing stones for use in western Hungary. Despite an agreement to set-up a bilateral working group there had, Magyar said, been little progress in resolving the situation. He hoped that there would soon be joint announcements from the Hungarian and Austrian Governments “regarding the role the state and public institutions will play in resolving the situation.” See: Magyar says rule-of-law process nearing conclusion.

An article uploaded on June 17, 2026 to The Lancet website by researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute documented progress in diagnosing optimal individualized treatments for pleural mesothelioma patients (see: Development and validation of artificial intelligence-assisted volumetric response criteria in pleural mesothelioma…]. The use of AI technology enabled clinicans to “assess tumor response to treatments much more accurately… (and to) discover the lack of response much sooner than before… This not only provides certainty but also spares our patients unnecessary side effects and reduces health care costs.” See: AI model proves to be a heavyweight in tumor assessment: Mesothelioma patients and physicians benefit.

Italy’s Supreme Court brought to a close litigation over the 2009 asbestos death of a railway worker, by confirming the conviction of the State Railways for having failed to prevent toxic workplace conditions which resulted in the deceased contracting mesothelioma. Between 1969 and 1971, the maintenance worker had been exposed to asbestos on railway engines, pipes and electrical systems without any protective equipment or clothing. See: Foggia: morì nel 2009 per esposizione all’amianto, risarcimento per i familiari di un ferroviere dell’officina grandi riparazioni [Foggia: died in 2009 from exposure to asbestos, compensation for the family of railway major repair workshop worker].

Last week, the European Commission uploaded notifications to the Safety Gate website recalling three groups of toys which contained asbestos. Each of the items was made in China. They were:
 
Invincible Heroes Stretchy Toys [Alert number: SR/01814/26];
Stretch Squad Sand-filled figurine toys [Alert number: SR/01813/26];
Funkee Monkee hairdo toy from ORB Toys [Alert number: SR/01852/26].
 
The amount of asbestos contamination found was up to 3.23% by weight.

After a report of an asbestos incident at Scotland’s Torness Nuclear Power Station in March 2026, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) launched an investigation to ascertain whether workers were exposed to asbestos in a valve within the steam system. The ONR’s report concluded: “the material had been removed from a similar valve in 2024 but this had not been recorded, meaning those carrying out more recent work did not know of the risks.” The workers involved in this incident will be routinely monitored. See: Companies failed to protect Torness workers from asbestos – watchdog.

An appeal against an asbestos conviction by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) – “a Spanish multinational financial services company headquartered in Bilbao, with offices in Madrid” – was rejected by Social Court No. 5 of Bilbao. As a result, the ruling by the National Institute of Social Security that recognized the pleural cancer contracted by a former BBVA employee as a professional illness will stand. The claimant had worked for the company from 1960 until 1999. He was diagnosed with pleural sarcomatoid mesothelioma in April 2023 and died on July 24, 2025. See: Justice rejects BBVA's appeal and confirms a pleural cancer of a former employee as professional.

Indonesia is a significant asbestos market, both in terms of the amount of asbestos it imports and its strategic importance. To compensate for the collapse of global demand, asbestos vested interests are fighting tooth and nail to protect this market and others like it. Despite the backroom deals and political pressure – as evinced by the latest asbestos industry initiative designed to lock Indonesia into many more years of asbestos imports and use – grassroots campaigners continue their efforts to end the slaughter by raising asbestos awareness, progressing multi-stakeholder collaborations and using well-honed tactics to implement an effective and targeted strategy to eradicate asbestos-related deaths. [Read full article]

June 13, 2026 was a day of surprises. Within a few hours, news was circulated of landmark developments substantiating progress made in the fight for asbestos victims’ rights in Brazil, the UK and Belgium. To someone who is “old school” when it comes to the news, the fact that the links for all these stories came via social media posts rather than mainstream media sources was disconcerting. It pains me to say – as I am no lover of social media – that, from what I have seen, when you are looking for news of real substance the place to look is no longer traditional outlets but hysteria-free platforms like LinkedIn. [Read full article]

IBAS is delighted to be hosting the English translation of a Portuguese language editorial uploaded last week (see: Associação Brasileira dos Expostos ao Amianto: 30 anos de luta pelos direitos dos trabalhadores) to the website of the Brazilian Journal of Occupational Health. Permission to do so was granted by coauthor Leila Posenato Garcia. Reflecting on the importance of the work accomplished since 1995 by the Brazilian Association of Asbestos Exposed Workers (ABREA), the authors recognized that “ABREA’s trajectory is intertwined with the construction of the Occupational Health field in Brazil.” [Read full article]

IBAS is privileged to upload this article by K. Ambroise Troveh, a specialist in transmission electron microscopy and hazardous fiber analysis. This feature highlighted the gap in African countries between the “promulgation of prohibitive texts and the very limited enforcement and monitoring mechanisms on the ground.” As nations in the Global North banned asbestos use, manufacturers targeted African markets in countries “under severe budgetary constraints.” Low levels of public asbestos awareness and lack of technical capacity and epidemiological data deterred governments from addressing asbestos challenges. Organizations such as the pan-African OHS Africa Foundation and the Inter-African Committee of Asbestos Experts are working assiduously to remedy this situation. [Read full article]

A recent investigation by a network of concerned citizens revealed that a toy found to be carcinogenic by multiple national authorities and media outlets was being sold via online marketplaces in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin and North America. Considering the sophisticated communications of e-commerce platforms in 2026, it is beyond belief that retailers such as Ozon in Eastern Europe, Amazon India, Rozetka in Ukraine and educational toy specialists like GoodDo Bangladesh and Fangotoys Ecuador were unaware of the evidence documenting the very real health hazard posed by the use of the toxic toy: WordPad. Until there are strict regulations of global e-commerce marketplaces and meaningful punishments for transgressors, none of our children will be safe. [Read full article]

On May 27, 2026, a grassroots coalition representing asbestos victims, environmental, consumer and health activists from around the world bestowed the IBAS Award 2026 for Outstanding Grassroots Activism on the “Asbestos. Not Here. Not Anywhere” campaign. This groundbreaking initiative was spearheaded by Australia’s Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA. Citing the leadership and organizational skills of APHEDA personnel, the award also recognized the expertise and support of Australian and international collaborators which were pivotal to the substantive results achieved in key asbestos-consuming countries. [Read full article]

On May 21, 2026, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a recall for models 17451 and 41929 of Orb Funkee Squeeze Toys, which had been imported from Canada and manufactured in China: “The recalled Orb Funkee squeeze toys may contain fibrous tremolite (asbestos) in the sand, which can cause adverse health issues if inhaled.” The same two models had been recalled due to asbestos contamination in the UK on March 6 along with five other models sold by the same company. Given that the US toy market is the world’s biggest customer for Chinese toy exports, it is unlikely that the recall issued on May 21st will be the last. [Read full article]

Whilst residents, and both municipal and provincial politicians, continued to struggle with hundreds of asbestos incidents in Western Hungary, 2,500 miles away festivities were held to celebrate the asbestos industry in Russian mining towns. At the same time as Hungarian police were investigating the discovery of asbestos-contaminated crushed stone on streets in the city of Szombathely, in the Russian municipalities of Asbestos and Yasny officials, asbestos workers and local people were commemorating International Chrysotile Protection Day and denouncing “the fierce anti-asbestos campaign…” threatening their industry. [Read full article]

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]

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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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