News Archive

The article cited below was published in the July 2025 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Using data from the Australian Cancer Database covering the period 1982 to 2020, the scientists examined the incidence of mesothelioma, the signature asbestos cancer, according to a variety of factors and predicted future mesothelioma trends. They concluded that: “the greatest risk of mesothelioma in Australia [is] occurring in cohorts with the highest levels of historical cumulative occupational exposure, showing the value of a ban on asbestos…The number of new cases of mesothelioma per year is not expected to decline until after 2030.” See: Mesothelioma Incidence Rates in Australia since 1982: Exploring Age, Period, and Cohort Effects and Future Projections.

Mesothelioma Research

Jul 9, 2025

Grassroots efforts by Japanese asbestos victims and their supporters have been pivotal in progressing research into mesothelioma, a cancer closely associated with exposure to asbestos. Every year, 1,600 people die in Japan from this disease. The Mesothelioma Treatment Promotion Fund, which was set up in 2010 by victims, has so far raised 50 million yen (US$347,000). In March 2025 14m yen was awarded to fund a clinical study and four research projects. The goal of fund raisers is to amass a total of 300 million yen+ (US$2.1m+) from private and government contributions. See [subscription site]: 中皮腫治療への思い＝大島秀利 [Thoughts on mesothelioma treatment – Hidetoshi Oshima].

Upcoming Asbestos Anniversary

Jul 9, 2025

Six decades of asbestos production in Kazakhstan will shortly be celebrated by Kostanay Minerals JSC. This conglomerate is the country’s only producer of chrysotile asbestos, 95% of which is exported. According to the text below: “Kostanay Minerals JSC has always paid and continues to pay special attention to the issues of environmental safety and health of employees. The company actively invests in programs to reduce the impact on the environment and ensures strict compliance with international labor safety standards.” See: 60 лет прочности: АО «Костанайские минералы» – стержень индустрии Казахстана [60 years of strength: Kostanay Minerals JSC is the backbone of Kazakhstan's industry].

End of an Era?

Jul 9, 2025

According to the author of the article cited below, asbestos-cement roofing tiles – formerly an extremely popular product for consumers – have virtually disappeared from sale in Russia and abroad due to the risks posed by toxic exposures to a class 1 carcinogen: asbestos. They have been replaced by safer asbestos-free materials such as metal tiles, flexible tiles and bitumen coatings which do not harm the environment and are safe for human health. See: Шифер из СССР: почему почти исчез из продажи — куда делся символ эпохи [Asbestos-cement tiles from the USSR: why it almost disappeared from sale – where did the symbol of the era go].

Post-Disaster Asbestos Hazard

Jul 9, 2025

The illegal dumping of asbestos-containing waste created by the Eaton and Palisades wildfires in California earlier this year was reported last week. It is believed that cleanup crews working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its main contractor Environmental Chemical Corp. dumped debris at the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center and Calabasas Landfill. These operations were reported to the landfill operators in mid-April, weeks after they had occurred; neither site was designed to handle hazardous material. See: Federal contractors improperly dumped wildfire-related asbestos waste at L.A. area landfills.

New Asbestos Cancer Data

Jul 9, 2025

Figures published on July 2, 2025 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showed a 3% drop in mesothelioma mortality between 2022 and 2023 from 2,280 to 2,218 deaths. Amongst the interesting trends observed were the following: a 3-year reduction in the number of male deaths – the number of female deaths remained level; 70% of all mesothelioma deaths occurred in people 75+ years old; the highest at-risk cohort continues to be men who worked in the building industry. The North East, South East and East of England seem to be the regions with the highest incidences of male mesothelioma mortality and the North East, East and North West for female mortality. See: Latest annual work-related fatalities published.

From Asbestos to Rare Earth Minerals

Jul 7, 2025

The sole remaining operational asbestos mine in Latin America is in the Brazilian city of Minaçu. In 2024, the Serra Verde mining company – backed by US investors – began extracting rare earth minerals at a Minaçu site. With the collapse in global asbestos use, local people are looking to this new industrial sector to secure the town’s future. According to Mayor Carlos Alberto Leréia, revenues from Serra Verde “will bring enormous wealth to the city.” While some locals expressed concerns about the adverse environmental and health consequences of the new mining venture, others wondered whether the promised riches would filter down to the company’s workers and local people. See: Brazil’s last asbestos miners are switching to rare earth minerals. Can they offer a brighter future?

Parliament Calls for Asbestos Action

Jul 7, 2025

The publication cited below by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health (APPG) was released on July 1, 2025 at a meeting at the House of Commons. The 18-page text reviewed the shameful history of Cape Plc, formerly one of the UK’s biggest asbestos conglomerates, and backed calls for a government boycott of the company’s current owner (Altrad) until a £10 million donation is made towards the cost of medical research into asbestos-related cancer. Pursuant to these goals, the APPG will write to ministers and request meetings to progress the report’s recommendations. See: The Legacy of Cape Plc (and Group companies), and the case for justice.

Lung Cancer Lawsuit

Jul 7, 2025

During a June 27, 2025 press conference in Osaka, Japan a former truck driver said that having been denied compensation for contracting asbestos-related lung cancer, he had launched a lawsuit at the Osaka District Court. The claimant alleged that he had been exposed to asbestos contained in building products at multiple construction sites. He was seeking compensation of 11.5 million yen ($US 80,000) from the government. See: 建設アスベスト給付金、不支給は「趣旨を没却」賠償求め初の提訴 [Construction asbestos benefits, non-payment is “forfeiture” First lawsuit for compensation].

Asbestos Eradication Program

Jul 7, 2025

Work has begun in central Struga, a town in the south-western region of North Macedonia, to replace 6.2 kilometers of aging asbestos-cement water pipes “with safe and modern materials”; the budget for the first phase of this program is €1.5 million (US$1.8m). According to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment Izet Mexhiti: “This investment is just part of a broader vision for a sustainable urban environment, with a focus on public health, safe water and modern infrastructure.” See: MMJPH: Filloi faza e parë e rikonstrukcionit dhe zëvendësimit të rrjetit të ujësjellësit në Strugë [MMPPH: The first phase of the reconstruction and replacement of the water supply network in Struga has begun].

Laryngeal Cancer & Asbestos

Jul 7, 2025

A paper that was published on July 1, 2025 in BMC Public Health – “a peer-reviewed open-access scientific journal that covers epidemiology of disease and various aspects of public health” – highlighted the global inconsistencies in the occurrence of laryngeal cancer (LC) resulting from workplace asbestos exposures. Whilst reductions in the incidence of LC have been achieved in some high-income countries “low- and middle-income countries continue to face challenges due to ongoing asbestos use.” See: Global, regional and country-specific burden of larynx cancer due to occupational exposure to asbestos: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Asbestos Hazard Ignored by Scottish Govt

Jul 7, 2025

In June, Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart wrote to the Scottish Government about the health hazard posed by the continued delivery of water via asbestos-cement pipes in Scotland. The response from the Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work Gillian Martin was less than reassuring and confirmed her continued support for the status quo. Wishart is now urging the authorities to “commission their own up-to-date assessment of the connection between asbestos piping and gastrointestinal cancers” and not rely on outdated WHO research. See: SNP ministers reject concerns over asbestos in drinking water.

Landmark Asbestos Verdict!

Jul 2, 2025

On June 24, 2025, the Constitutional Court of Slovenia handed down a ruling upholding the right of relatives to bring a legal action for the asbestos death of a family member. Central to the case was an argument about equality before the law; denying these plaintiffs the right to bring an “inherited” action for damages deprived them of a right enjoyed by the heirs of beneficiaries who had initiated compensation proceedings prior to death. The Court agreed that it was, indeed, the duty of the legislature to treat both groups of heirs in an equal manner. See: Ustavno sodišče: Neupravičenost dedičev do odškodnine zaradi izpostavljenosti azbestu je neustavna [Constitutional Court: Heirs' ineligibility for compensation for exposure to asbestos is unconstitutional].

Exploring New Asbestos Markets

Jul 2, 2025

A train loaded with almost 1,000 tons of Chinese chrysotile (white) asbestos destined for Uzbekistan departed from the city of Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China last week. According to a news release, this was “the first special train with asbestos from Gansu Province to Central Asia…” Between 2021 and 2023, Uzbekistan used, on average, around 110,000 tonnes of asbestos every year, most of which came from Russia, the world’s largest producer of asbestos. See: Из пров. Ганьсу отправился первый спецпоезд с асбестом в Центральную Азию [The first special train with asbestos went to Central Asia from Gansu].

Philadelphia Facing Criminal Prosecution

Jul 2, 2025

On June 26, 2025, US Attorney David Metcalf announced that criminal charges had been lodged against the Philadelphia School District over alleged violations of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. According to the charges, city officials had failed to “inspect, remediate, and report damaged asbestos in multiple city schools” in a timely fashion. As a result of their inaction, students and staff experienced toxic exposures in the school buildings. This is the first time that a school district has been criminally charged with violating the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. See: Press Release. United States Attorney Announces Criminal Charges Against the Philadelphia School District Alleging Violations of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response ActM.

Uproar over Asbestos Proposal

Jul 2, 2025

On June 25, 2025, the Valeggio Regional Technical Committee for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) blocked plans by the company Progeco Ambiente Spa for the construction of a local asbestos landfill site, after receiving hundreds of objections from local authorities, environmental associations, citizens’ committees and residents in recent months. See: Amianto a Valeggio: primo stop, ma la partita è ancora aperta [Asbestos in Valeggio: first stop, but the game is still open].

Amagasaki’s “Silent Time Bomb”

Jul 2, 2025

On June 6, 2025 asbestos widow Kazuko Furukawa (77) returned to the gas station in Amagasaki City which was the starting point for her research into the existence of an undiagnosed epidemic of asbestos-related diseases caused by operations at the former Kanzaki factory, part of the Kubota group. In 2004, Mrs. Furukawa formed the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Disease Patients and Families Association to formalize the support being offered to the injured. See: 聞き込みで突き止めた「クボタショック」　うねり作った女性の執念 [The “Kubota Shock” uncovered through questioning: The tenacity of the woman who created the groundswell].

Dismantling Redundant UK Naval Ships

Jul 2, 2025

The Turkish language article cited below examined the process by which the British Ministry of Defence continued to send redundant naval ships to Turkey for dismantling. According to an analysis of recent data covering the period 2009 to 2024, 25 out of 31 retired UK ships were sent for scrapping to Aliağa shipbreaking yards which have been the subject of criticism by NGOs concerned over the “negative effects on the environment and public health” of unsafe working conditions. See: İngiltere donanma gemilerini söküm için neden Türkiye'ye gönderiyor? [Why does the UK send its naval ships to Turkey for dismantling?].

Lethal Industrial Legacy

Jun 30, 2025

The historic presence of asbestos-using factories in Amagasaki City left a deadly legacy. According to new data, municipal mortality from mesothelioma – the signature asbestos cancer – was significantly higher than in other Japanese cities with 30% of the deaths occurring amongst the female population. Throughout Japan, the average proportion of female mesothelioma fatalities is 19%. Of 229 people surveyed, 92 couldn’t identify the source of their exposure. Mayor Makoto Matsumoto is calling on the government: “to further enhance permanent health care and damage relief systems.” See: 中皮腫死亡者の増加率高め　兵庫・尼崎市調査、アスベスト被害20年 [Increasing rate of mesothelioma deaths, Hyogo-Amagasaki City survey, 20 years of asbestos damage].

Asbestos Alert!

Jun 30, 2025

The article cited below included detailed information about the serious health hazards posed by the continuing use of asbestos-containing products in Indonesia. These toxic products are popular because they are relatively cheap. Unfortunately, exposure to the asbestos they contain can cause a variety of serious diseases and deadly cancers. Readers should, the author warned, choose asbestos-free alternatives for roofing such as: Metal Roof Tiles, Galvalum Roofs, Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride (UPVC) Roofs, Corrugated Bitumen Roofs, Non-Asbestos Fiber Cement Roofs or Polycarbonate Roofs. See: 5 Bahaya Menggunakan Asbes Sebagai Atap Rumah [5 Dangers of Using Asbestos in a Roof].

AMD Debate in Scottish Parliament

Jun 30, 3025

A debate (S6M-17647) on Action Mesothelioma Day (AMD) was secured by Marie McNair, Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Clydebank and Milngavie, on June 19, 2025. During this fourth annual debate on AMD, McNair pledged her backing for the campaign by victims’ groups to make the current owner of Cape PLC – formerly one of the UK’s largest asbestos conglomerates – pay a £10 million donation towards mesothelioma research. The debate secured cross-party support with contributions from Scottish National Party, Labour and Conservative MSPs. See: Action Mesothelioma Day debate in the Scottish Parliament. June 19, 2025.

Asbestos at Yallourn

Jun 30, 2025

The construction of the Yallourn Power Station in Gippsland, Victoria in the 1960s continues to claim more lives. The article cited below focused on the story of sheet metal worker Mick Tomkins, who began work as a sub-contractor at the site of the new W station at Yallourn in 1972. In 2024, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the signature asbestos cancer. The working conditions were very dusty Mick told the reporter: “The laggers would go in and put the insulation on the pipes, and we would come in and coat them with sheet metal… You had a lot of asbestos dust … we would bring our overalls home, covered in white.” See: Calls for support as Latrobe Valley power workers continue to die from asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Claim Recognized in Puglia

Jun 30, 2025

The Labor Court of Bari last week recognized the right of a former technical assistant to obtain a monthly pension from Italy’s National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL) due to his contracting an asbestos-related disease. The claim by the 82-year old applicant, who had worked for Telecom Italia for 31 years, had been rejected in 2020 by INAIL See: “Vittima dell’amianto”, malattia riconosciuta dopo 31 anni di lavoro per ex tecnico Telecom di Bari [“Victim of asbestos”, disease recognized after 31 years of work for former Telecom technician in Bari].

Asbestos Prosecution of OCC

Jun 30, 2025

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched an investigation of asbestos breaches by Oxford City Council (OCC) which, it said, had failed to take timely action to prevent toxic exposures in the town hall as well as other municipal buildings as per stipulations of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This action was taken as part of an HSE campaign to inspect of hundreds of council buildings throughout the country to ensure compliance with mandatory asbestos management requirements. See: Council investigated over asbestos in town hall.

Asbestos Alert!

Jun 26, 2025

The implications for Indian citizens of the country’s massive consumption of asbestos – a substance outlawed in over 70 nations – was explored in the article cited below, which warned that the pollution hazard was an indoor as well as outdoor issue. According to the journalist Palavi Mehra: “Almost every home in India contains asbestos. Common places asbestos may be found include: Old roofing sheets, Cement water tanks, Floor tiles, Insulation materials… India could see up to 6 million cases of asbestos-related diseases in the coming years, with over 600,000 cancer cases predicted if action isn’t taken.” See: Deadly household asbestos fibres could raise lung cancer risk – What it is and expert shares tips to stay safe.