News Archive

Last week, the European Commission adopted new measures to improve occupational protection from asbestos which included guidelines for complying with EU rules that lowered workers’ exposure to asbestos and recommendations for the addition of new occupational illnesses to national lists of compensable diseases. These measures and others to lower occupational asbestos exposure limits were designed to facilitate the achievement of an asbestos-free future for EU Members, which is a core Commission objective. See: Stronger protection for workers with new asbestos guidelines and updated list of occupational diseases.

Legal Victory against J&J

Dec 22, 2025

On December 19, 2025, a Minnesota jury awarded $65.5 million to 37-year-old plaintiff Anna Jean Houghton Carley who claimed that her use of asbestos-contaminated talcum products sold by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) caused her to develop the aggressive asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. Arguments presented by Mrs Carley’s attorney during the 13-day trial in the District Court accused the US pharmaceutical giant of marketing products they knew could cause cancer. The company said it would appeal the verdict. See: Minnesota jury says Johnson & Johnson owes $65.5 million to woman with cancer who used talcum powder.

Asbestos Complacency Rules!

Dec 22, 2025

On December 17, 2025, the UK government issued a blanket denial about the sale of imported asbestos-contaminated toys in response to questions asked by Labour MP Ian Lavery on December 8: “There is no evidence these products are available on the UK market.” The questions related to sales of Educational Colours Rainbow Sand, a product recalled in Australia over asbestos concerns. The MP asked for data on how many packs were sold, what steps were taken to communicate concerns regarding potential harmful substances and what guidance to schools and educational establishments had been issued. See: Toys and Games: Sales. Questions for Department for Business and Trade. Question 97782; Question 97783; Question 97784.

Government Asbestos Data: Update

Dec 22, 2025

Information released by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on December 17 brought the number of commercial establishments whose employees had been compensated for asbestos exposures to 20,624. According to the data for 2024, occupational compensation claims from employees with mesothelioma and lung cancer originating at 1,257 workplaces were recognized. Nine hundred and sixty-six of these worksites were mentioned for the first time. See: アスベスト労災認定の勤務先１２５７事業所を公表、９６６事業所は今回初めて…厚労省 [Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announces 1,257 workplaces certified as having asbestos-related injuries, 966 for the first time].

Asbestos in Children’s Centers

Dec 22, 2025

According to a recent announcement, the Incheon Restoration Land Joint Fundraising Association will provide 12.2 million won (US$8,270) to support asbestos audits in 61 buildings housing facilities for children’s centers in Incheon. According to a recent revision of the Enforcement Decree of the Asbestos Safety Management Act, all local children’s centers will be required to conduct, record and preserve asbestos surveys of their premises. See: 사랑의 열매, 석면안전진단 1220만원 지원 [Incheon Association funding asbestos audits at children’s centers].

Update: Lung Cancer Screening

Dec 22, 2025

Researchers used a simulation study to investigate the cost-effectiveness of low-dose CT lung cancer screening among people aged 50-74 in Norway who had smoked. The results reported in the paper cited below demonstrated “that it [lung cancer screening] is likely to be cost-effective under current Norwegian benchmarks, for both men and women. These findings offer timely, context-specific evidence to guide future policy on lung cancer screening programs in Norway.” See: Cost-effectiveness of low-dose CT lung cancer screening among individuals that have ever smoked in Norway: A model-based analysis using NELSON trial criteria and outcomes.

Legal Victory by Activists!

Dec 19, 2025

Responses by civil society activists (who had been targeted by a SLAPP lawsuit issued by Indonesia’s asbestos industry trade association FICMA) to a November court verdict dismissing key accusations brought by the industry were detailed in the article cited below. Parts of the legal situation remain unresolved and for this reason an appeal by the defendants was lodged. According to Dhiccy Sandewa, one of those targeted by FICMA, because of the lawsuit “the trade ministry continues to make excuses for not immediately making a replacement regulation that confirms the obligation of labels and warning signs…” on asbestos-cement roofing products. See: Win over the Industry Association, Asbestos Products of Permanent Sheets Must Have B3 Label.

Award for Campaigners!

Dec 19, 2025

The very timely article cited below reported on a ceremony held by São Paulo City to present a prestigious municipal award to the Brazilian Association of the Asbestos Exposed which marked its 30th anniversary last week. The December 12, 2025 proceedings at City Hall provided the opportunity for ABREA officials and members, trade unionists, civil servants, São Paulo City and federal politicians to reflect on ABREA’s struggle, the obstacles it faced and the almost insurmountable challenges it overcame. See: Câmara de SP concede a Salva de Prata à Associação Brasileira dos Expostos ao Amianto [The São Paulo City Council awards the Silver Salute to the Brazilian Association of the Asbestos Exposed].

Toxic Talc

Dec 19, 2025

It was reported on December 13, 2025, that a Los Angeles jury had issued a victims’ verdict awarding $40 million to Monica Kent (diagnosed in 2014) and Deborah Schultz (diagnosed in 2018) who had alleged that they had contracted ovarian cancer as a result of using Johnson & Johnson’s asbestos-contaminated talc-based baby powder. The plaintiffs’ attorney told the jury that J&J had known that its iconic baby powder could cause cancer since the 1960s. The company is facing 67,000 lawsuits from cancer sufferers. A spokesperson for J&J said it will appeal the decision. See: Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $40m to women who said talc to blame for cancer.

Asbestos Follow-Ups?

Dec 19, 2025

According to New Zealand’s Public Health Communication Centre, children exposed to asbestos that was contained in imported play sand should be monitored long-term in case those exposures lead to mesothelioma or other cancers. Following the discovery last month (November) of tremolite asbestos in a number of toys being sold in New Zealand, hundreds of schools were tested with 40 having to close temporarily because of contamination. See: Children exposed to asbestos should be monitored long-term – public health experts.

More Asbestos Headlines!

Dec 19, 2025

On December 12 a headline from ABC news reported that asbestos-contaminated parts for wind turbines in Victoria had been found in the hold of a ship berthed in Geelong harbor, the second largest port in the State of Victoria. The shipment was quarantined. The next day (see: accc recalls-sand stickers sold across Australia ...), news was released that another asbestos-contaminated product exported from China – Sand Stickers – had been recalled. See: Asbestos-containing wind turbine brake pad shipment docked at Geelong port.

KSPI Warns of Asbestos Hazard!

Dec 19, 2025

During the launch by the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) of its National Asbestos Hazards Awareness Movement in Jakarta on December 12, 2025, campaigner Surya Feridan told delegates: “There is no level of asbestos exposure that can be considered safe… The latent nature of asbestos’ dangers makes it a ticking time bomb. Symptoms of the disease only become apparent 20 to 40 years later, when health insurance coverage is often lacking.” See: Alasan logis penghapusan asbes adalah hak asasi kaum buruh Indonesia: Asbes legal mematikan, stop normalisasi! [The logical reason for the removal of asbestos is the human rights of Indonesian workers: Asbestos is legally deadly, stop normalization!].

Diplomatic Subterfuge

Dec 17, 2025

The latest attempt by Russia to protect its highly valued asbestos market in Indonesia was revealed in the article cited below which documented the existence of the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding between Indonesia and Russia. The title of the agreement: Cooperation in the Field of Scientific Research on the “Safe Use of Chrysotile Asbestos” is a misnomer as it is universally acknowledged by reputable authorities that no use of asbestos is safe. The Indonesian Supreme Court acknowledged this when it issued a judgment in 2024 mandating that all asbestos-cement roofing carry warning labels. See: Indonesia-Russia Finalize Key MoUs Ahead of INNOPROM 2026.

Asbestos in Sand

Dec 17, 2025

In 1987 New York pathologist Jerrold Abraham, a specialist in occupational lung disease, found asbestos in his son's backyard sandpit. In an interview with an Australian journalist about recent discoveries of asbestos in colored play sand imported to Australia from China, he said he was “sad but not surprised” that play sand was still contaminated with asbestos. There are, Abraham said, regulatory blind spots in US and Australian regulations; as a result of existing loopholes, the import of toxic material continues to endanger life. See: Fluke discoveries of asbestos in children's sand strike twice decades apart.

Unrealistic Fantasy or Achievable Goal

Dec 17, 2025

The deadly contamination left in the wake of asbestos mining persists not only in the lungs and other organs of workers, family members and local people but also in huge mountains of waste throughout the area. After one hundred years of mining operations, there are now 800 million tonnes of toxic tailings in the land near the Jeffrey Chrysotile Asbestos mine in the town of Val-des-Sources. Local entrepreneurs in collaboration with academics and technical experts claim that valuable minerals can be reclaimed from the tailings, turning them from “toxic waste to green treasure.” See: Turning asbestos from toxic dust to green treasure.

Victims’ Victory in Rome!

Dec 17, 2025

As a result of a ruling finalized by the Court of Rome, asbestos-injured workers from the Videocolor plant in Anagni, Italy will be able to obtain compensation for occupational asbestos exposures experienced between 1990 and 2006 from INAIL, Italy’s Workers’ Compensation Authority. This victory is a result of the verdict won for a maintenance worker with pleural thickenings who had been “exposed continuously, massively and directly to asbestos dust and fibers present in the furnaces, insulation, gaskets, machinery, roller conveyors and numerous structural parts of the plant” for 20 years. The Court confirmed there was a “direct causal link between exposure and pathology.” See: Sentenza Videocolor: riconosciuta esposizione ad amianto [Videocolor ruling: exposure to asbestos recognized].

Gaza Work Environmental Plan

Dec 17, 2025

On December 8, 2025, preliminary measures were announced to address the widespread environmental contamination caused by the war on Gaza. According to the environmental relief and early recovery plan for the Environment Quality Authority (EQA) in Gaza: “debris from destroyed buildings exceeds 60 million tons, including 4 million tons of hazardous waste, 50,000 tons of asbestos, and nearly 100,000 tons of explosives and unexploded ordnance.” To meet the huge challenges faced, a phased plan was devised which aims to provide “relief, recovery and comprehensive environmental rehabilitation.” See: Government operations room reviews the Environmental Relief and Early Recovery Plan of the Environment Quality Authority in Gaza.

Asbestos Deja-Vu, Again

Dec 17, 2025

After the discoveries of asbestos in children’s play sand and wind turbine parts imported from China to Australia, it was announced on December 6 and 9 that asbestos had also been found in 14 imported fire doors at the new Perth campus of Edith Cowan University (see: Asbestos found in new Edith Cowan University campus in Perth CBD) and might be present in activity sets marketed as part of the Bluey, Paw Patrol and Frozen range of toys. The three “sensory activity sets” were being recalled by Kmart as a precautionary measure. See: Popular Bluey, Paw Patrol toy sets recalled over asbestos fears.

Progress Update

Dec 15, 2025

According to the article cited below, another landmark was achieved recently with the approval by municipal officials of a pilot ecological restoration project for derelict and contaminated industrial land in the Giant Panda National Park. The work undertaken successfully eradicated asbestos pollution on an area of 10.55 square kilometers which had formerly been home to the Sichuan asbestos mine. See: 矿山新生，“愈”见大熊猫丨四中全会精神在基层 [Rebirth of Mines, “More” Seen Giant Pandas | The Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session Takes Root at Grassroots Level].

Legacy Asbestos: An Ongoing Health Risk

Dec 15, 2025

A commentary by experts from the Center for Asbestos-Related Disease on the legacy of environmental asbestos contamination highlighted the ongoing public health risk still posed by unremediated infrastructures and land in Montana, Nevada, California and elsewhere in the US, especially in regions where naturally-occurring asbestos is found. Due to the lethal nature of asbestos-related diseases, the best way to deal with them is to prevent toxic exposures. Concluding their text, the coauthors wrote: “Physicians, public health officials, and researchers must evaluate exposed populations and individuals for AID (autoimmune diseases) and raise awareness that legacy asbestos remains a serious health risk around the world.” See: Legacy asbestos: An ongoing public health risk.

More Russian Asbestos LIES!

Dec 15, 2025

On December 4, 2025 comments made at a press conference held by the Chrysotile Association – a Russian body representing asbestos vested interests – were reported acknowledging that “Russian automakers use only asbestos-free brakes…” According to the Russian and US “experts” who addressed the meeting, this policy was ill-advised due to research which, they said, “confirmed the safety of exposure to chrysotile asbestos fibers for car repair and maintenance professionals.” Several other distortions were contained in the text, including the fact that most Russian asbestos is used in Japan; Japan phased out all asbestos use between 2006 and 2012. See: Ученые призывают вернуться к асбестовым колодкам [Scientists call for a return to asbestos pads].

Raising Asbestos Awareness

Dec 15, 2025

In November, it was reported that 160 local people had participated in three classes on the safe handling/removal of asbestos-containing roofing products which had been carried out by personnel from Habitat for Humanity International, Vietnam in collaboration with the People's Committee of Long Quang Commune. Asbestos roofing remains a popular product in mountainous areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. See: Long Quảng: Gần 160 người được hướng dẫn thực hành an toàn khi tiếp xúc với vật liệu nghi ngờ có chứa amiăng và kỹ thuật lợp mái nhà đúng cách [Long Quang: Nearly 160 people were instructed on safe practices when in contact with suspected asbestos-containing materials and proper roofing techniques].

Cancer Warning over Toxic Practices

Dec 15, 2025

At the beginning of this month, a former Penang assemblyman Dr T. Jayabalan issued serious health warnings to delegates attending the “Speak Up for Penang” Forum organized by 11 civil society organizations in George Town, Penang. Dr. Jayabalan expressed his concerns over plans to mine rare earth elements (REE) and the continued use of asbestos water pipes in social housing, both of which could increase the incidence of cancer among the population. “We need,” the medical doctor concluded “to safeguard public health.” See: Former Penang rep sounds alarm over health risks from REE mining, asbestos use.

Shock Rise in Asbestos Liabilities

Dec 15, 2025

According to leading US market analysts, asbestos claims rose almost 29% in 2024 – to $1.27 billion from $986.2 million (2023) – at the same time as insurers were starting to reduce their asbestos reserves. Payment obligations also increased. Commenting on the upward trends, the analysts wrote: “The combination of rising net incurred losses and elevated payment levels in 2024 suggests that the ‘tail’ on these decades-old policies may be longer than many carriers anticipated, with implications for reserve adequacy and capital management extending well into the future.” See: Asbestos losses rising while reserves shrink.

ABC’s Asbestos Legacy

Dec 11, 2025

Inaccurate information provided to a committee meeting of the Australian Senate on December 2, 2025 by senior management from the national broadcaster – the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) – was the focus of the article cited below by ABC’s rival: Sky News. According to reporter Patrick Hannaford, the statement that two ABC employees had died after experiencing asbestos exposures at the broadcaster’s premises in Victoria between 1984 and 1990 was untrue. Retracting this information, ABC’s Melanie Kleyn admitted that there had been 3 deaths after toxic exposures between the 1950s and late 1980s. See: ABC under fire after providing Parliament with incorrect information about asbestos exposure and deaths of former staff.