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On Thursday January 15, 2026, Malaysia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup in the ministry’s New Year message told reporters that the government acknowledged increasing public support for a national asbestos ban. “We are aware of it… We will come up with more information about it perhaps in the next few months.” According to a ministerial statement from 2025, the Department of Environment was conducting a study about the use of asbestos and the health and environmental impacts it had on the country and its citizens. See: Govt reviewing use of asbestos-based materials — minister.

The well-researched piece cited below described the “disappearance” of a former Canadian asbestos mining town: Cassiar. During the 20th century, 50,000 people were toxically exposed to the fiber which had been the town’s raison d'être for 40 years. Once the mine was closed in 1992 and the town was dismantled, former workers and residents dispersed. According to journalist Amanda Follett Hosgood, the collection of information on the number of people who contracted asbestos-related diseases from exposures in Cassiar, British Columbia is severely hampered by their forced exile from their home town. See: A Mining Town Scattered Residents, and Asbestos, to the Wind.

According to Emanuele Capra, the Mayor of the town at the center of Italy’s asbestos epidemic: “The city of Casale Monferrato is today one of the safest and most monitored places in the world for asbestos safety.” The reason the Mayor gave for this assertion was the remediation work undertaken over the last 40 years which removed 1.89 million square meters of asbestos-containing material from the municipal infrastructure and sent 51,200 tons of toxic debris to landfills. See: Casale Monferrato quarant’anni dopo l’Eternit: rimossi quasi due milioni di metri quadrati di amianto [Casale Monferrato, forty years after the Eternit disaster: nearly two million square meters of asbestos removed].

On the first-year anniversary of the wildfires which decimated communities in Southern California, it was reported that some of the houses which had survived in Altadena and Pacific Palisades and been “cleaned” still registered levels of asbestos and lead “that exceed EPA safety levels.” By September 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had cleared 2.6 million tons of ash, debris and contaminated soil from the area, much of which contained toxic material like asbestos and lead paint. See: It’s Been One Year Since Wildfires Devastated Los Angeles. What Have We Learned?

An investigation by Enquêtes d'actu [News Investigations] – a primetime French TV magazine program – on the scandal of asbestos contamination of schools which was broadcast this month reported that: more than half of all schools did not have updated mandatory asbestos audits; there was a worrying lack of transparency regarding remediation work commissioned by municipalities; and medical follow-up for at-risk teachers, staff and students was inadequate. See: Amiante dans les écoles : l'Éducation nationale et les maires défaillants ? Le résumé de notre enquête [Asbestos in schools: National Education and the failing mayors? Summary of our investigation].

After the furore caused by news last year that asbestos-contaminated educational products – various types of coloured sand – had been used in schools throughout New Zealand, the government announced in January 2026 that funding would be available to help state and state-integrated schools “who have incurred or will be incurring asbestos removal, decontamination or building-related remediation costs due to asbestos in coloured sand” decontaminate affected premises. Applications for the one-off grant from the Ministry of Education can be made online using Application Form for Financial Support - Asbestos in Coloured Sand.
See: One-off grant for state and state-integrated schools affected by asbestos in coloured sand.

The humanitarian catastrophe and environmental destruction caused by the operations – from 1953 to 1992 – of the asbestos mine in Cassair, northern British Columbia was the focus of the informative and highly recommended article which is cited below. No information was provided by the mine owners or managers about the hazard posed by human exposures to asbestos. According to ex-employee Floyd Joseph: “People didn’t realize how dangerous it was…It wasn’t known until after [the mine] shut down. Then everybody found out how bad it was.” See: The Town That Asbestos Built. The Cancer It Left Behind.

The widespread use of asbestos-containing material in Japan has left an invisible but fatal legacy in hundreds of thousands of private and public buildings. The comprehensive national ban enacted more than a decade ago does not mandate the removal of asbestos material from the built environment. As a result, workers like Yoshimasa Negishi, from Tokyo, continue to pay the price for government complacency. Negishi, a self-employed installer of air conditioning systems, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in August 2023 after years of toxic workplace exposures. See: Despite complete ban, asbestos still causing health problems.

The reason that Paola Maria Santospirito, the wife of Italian naval officer Lieutenant Leonardantonio Mastrovito, contracted asbestosis and other pathologies, concluded the Civil Court of Rome, was her exposure to asbestos-contaminated work clothes brought home by her husband. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) had been negligent for failing to prevent the toxic exposure and was ordered to pay Mrs. Santospirito compensation of €65,000 (US$76,000). See: Amianto portato a casa con le divise militari, Tribunale condanna il ministero della Difesa [Asbestos brought home on military uniforms, court rules against the Ministry of Defense].

Another excellent asbestos article by the Daily Mail was uploaded on January 11, 2026. The focus of the text was the consequences of toxic childhood exposures to asbestos in contaminated schools. Sixty-six year old Rose Hall contracted mesothelioma after exposures in the 1970s to asbestos at the Allerton Grange school, in Leeds, England. It is believed that there are tens of thousands of other schools which are still affected. See: Grandmother gets incurable cancer after inhaling toxic asbestos during school musical rehearsals 55 years ago.

Montana State officials warned people in the former vermiculite mining town of Libby to be aware of potential environmental fallout from massive flooding that occurred in December 2025. Mine materials, including toxic substances such as asbestos, could been released onto private property, roads or river banks. According to official sources, on-site inspections will not begin until the Spring. Until then residents were advised “to avoid flood debris, abide by local road closures and contact the Lincoln County Asbestos Resource Program with any concerns regarding suspect materials on private property.” See: Officials monitor potential mine waste exposure following Libby-area floods.

Staff in the Italian Province of Alessandria have implemented a free screening program for people between 55 and 80 who are at high risk of contracting lung cancer because of previous asbestos exposures as well as a history of smoking. It is hoped that obtaining an early diagnosis of the cancer via the use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) will enable patients to access early treatment which is pivotal for securing the best health outcome. In December, the first 88 LDCT tests were carried out at the Radiology Department of the Casale Monferrato Hospital. See: Studio tumori al polmone: nell’Alessandrino una ricerca in aiuto dei fumatori e dei cittadini esposti all’amianto [Lung cancer study: research in the Alessandria area to help smokers and citizens exposed to asbestos].

In December 2025, it was announced that the European Commission had adopted measures to improve occupational asbestos protections, which included new guidelines for Member States to help them lower workers' exposures to asbestos as well as the expansion of the list of occupational asbestos-related diseases eligible for compensation. The new diseases added to the list are: “cancer of the larynx, cancer of the ovary, pleural plaques with lung impairment, and non-malignant pleural effusion.” See: Stronger protection for workers with new asbestos guidelines and updated list of occupational diseases.

Frustrated by the lack of information about last October’s tear-down of the East Wing of the White House, on January 7, 2026 civil society campaigners sued the Trump administration, to ascertain whether guidelines had been followed to protect workers and members of the public from deadly asbestos exposures. The lawsuit is seeking pertinent documents regarding asbestos inspections, air monitoring, waste disposal safeguards and the other protections implemented during the demolition. Commenting on the Government’s lack of transparency in this matter, Senator Edward Markey said: “This Administration is deceptive to the point of being dangerous to the American people.” See: Advocates sue Trump officials for answers on East Wing asbestos risks.

Mesothelioma widow and journalist Silvana Mossano reacted to disclosures in a January 4, 2026 TV program about emails released as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files by uploading an open letter to Stephan Schmidheiny, the Swiss billionaire convicted by courts in Italy for asbestos deaths of workers and members of the public. For years Mossano had urged Schmidheiny to make restitution by funding medical research. The wealth of emotions stirred by the revelations spurred her to quote the words of beloved leader Romana Blasotti Pavesi: “We are more than you.” See: REPORT e AMIANTO – Signor Schmidheiny: sono stupida stupida stupida. E adesso anche arrabbiata [REPORT and ASBESTOS – Mr. Schmidheiny: I’m stupid, stupid, stupid. And now I’m angry too].

As children returned to schools in the French Department of Eure-et-Loir after the Christmas holidays, trade unionists raised the alarm over the hazard posed by the presence of asbestos-containing material in two schools in the commune of Senonches. Unsealed and broken asbestos floor tiles were discovered during inspections in November 2025. Concerned parents, teachers and children mounted a public protest over the contamination in front of the school’s gates on January 5, 2026. See: «À chaque fois que les élèves vont au tableau, ils peuvent souffler dessus»: l’amiante, danger invisible des établissements scolaires en Eure-et-Loir [“Every time students go to the blackboard, they can blow on it”: asbestos, an invisible danger in schools in Eure-et-Loir].

An exposé screened by Italy’s public broadcaster RAI on Sunday January 4, 2026 refocused national attention on a scandal which had been festering for decades: the failure of the Italian authorities to hold to account people responsible for a national epidemic of avoidable ill-health and premature deaths. While there is no proof that the offers made by international powerbrokers revealed on the program were either realized or responsible for the Supreme Court’s contentious decision in 2014 to overturn Stephan Schmidheiny’s convictions over asbestos deaths caused by his Italian operations, the public most definitely has a right to know why the Court took that action. With another Supreme Court asbestos decision on the horizon, clarity from the Court is a matter of some urgency. [Read full article]

At the end of last year Azerbaijan, a former Soviet Republic, announced plans to outlaw the use of asbestos and asbestos-containing products. This follows national bans in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine. Pro-asbestos propaganda spread by Russian and Kazakh producers – responsible for ~70% of global asbestos output – has clearly lost the dominance it once had over the regional asbestos discourse. According to Azerbaijani ecologist Rovshan Abbasov: “The history of asbestos bans in developed countries begins with the discovery of a direct link between this mineral and the development of severe lung diseases, including cancer. Medical studies have irrefutably proven the carcinogenicity of asbestos fibres when inhaled.” [Read full article]

December is traditionally the time of year to review the accomplishments, triumphs and low points of the last twelve months. Throughout the year, initiatives to identify the asbestos-injured, build medical capacity, implement awareness campaigns, lobby decision-makers and expose asbestos injustices were implemented in Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, Latin & North America. There can be no doubt that the problems asbestos poses to humanity and the environment are now an integral part of discussions about human rights, environmental justice, ecodiversity and sustainability. Despite progress made in 2025, much remains to be done. We look forward to working with you all in 2026. In the meantime, please accept greetings of solidarity and friendship and our very best wishes for a happy and healthy new year! [Read full article]

One week before Christmas, the UK government issued a blanket denial about the sale of imported asbestos-contaminated toys in response to three questions asked by Labour MP Ian Lavery: “There is no evidence these products are available on the UK market.” They are wrong and the proof was readily available if anyone had bothered to look. Our online research identified at least two of the products recalled in Australia over asbestos fears which had been listed on Amazon UK: Educational Colours Rainbow Sand and Galt Sand Stickers. It seems obvious that given the choice parents and grandparents would prefer to err on the side of caution and choose a gift that did not contain a toxic substance. Shouldn’t someone, somewhere be sounding the alarm? [Read full article]

The long-term committed efforts of grassroots ban asbestos campaigners in Indonesia have transformed the national dialogue from one accepting asbestos industry rhetoric about the “safe use” of asbestos – a Group 1 carcinogen – to one calling for interim health protections prior to an eventual ban on all use. This progress did not go unnoticed by asbestos vested interests; in retaliation, the industry implemented strategies to quash the activities of campaigning groups and lock the Indonesian government into treaties obligating it to maintain the status quo under which the import, use and sale of asbestos-containing goods remains legal. [Read full article]

At the culmination of the December 9-10, 2025, 3rd Regional Asbestos Conference held by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – Asia Pacific Region that took place in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, the delegates adopted a Conference Statement pledging their commitment “to eliminate the use of all forms of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials in our countries and globally…” Specific measures were delineated for future action by trade unionists on the regional hazard posed by continuing asbestos use and strategies discussed for outreach work with the ADB, the ILO, the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat, ASEAN & SAARC. [Read full article]

An October 30, 2025 verdict handed down by India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT), the country’s designated court for environmental matters, contained significant findings regarding the continued use of asbestos in the country’s schools. The Court confirmed that: the deterioration of asbestos-containing building material posed a serious human health hazard; there is no safe limit of exposure to asbestos; claims by manufacturers that asbestos fibers were “firmly locked” into roofing sheets were incorrect. The Government was given six months to respond to these findings. It is noteworthy that India, the world’s largest asbestos-importing country, used an average of 438,000 tonnes of asbestos a year between 2021 and 2023. [Read full article]

As Australians were struggling with multiple asbestos scandals, issuing product recalls and demanding better enforcement by federal agencies in recent weeks, in Washington, D.C. the authorities seemed to be adopting a surprisingly laissez-faire position. In October, part of the White House was precipitously demolished to make way for a new ballroom; this was followed in November with an announcement that plans to impose stricter testing protocols for asbestos fibers in talc products had been withdrawn. US politicians and campaigners were shocked by the seeming deviation from best practice whilst a Russian commentator found much to his liking in the moves being taken by the Trump administration which he alleged was trying “to end the witch hunt” related to asbestos. [Read full article]

Groups representing asbestos victims, trade unionists, medical personnel and concerned citizens from Europe, Asia and Australia released a press release on December 9, 2025 congratulating the Brazilian Association of the Asbestos-Exposed (ABREA) on its 30th anniversary. Commenting on this auspicious event, Sugio Furuya of the Asian Ban Asbestos Network (ABAN) noted that: “ABREA stands as a symbol throughout Asia of solidarity and fellowship. Its sustained efforts to ban asbestos exports to Asia has saved and will save many lives as we work towards an asbestos-free future for all!” Acknowledging our collective debt to ABREA, IBAS Coordinator Laurie Kazan-Allen added: “ABREA gave a face to a worldwide human disaster” (Clique aqui para ler a versão em português). [Read full article]

For decades, the human costs of the asbestos industry’s profits were paid for by workers, family members, local people and communities that had been exposed to carcinogenic fibers liberated by mining, transporting and manufacturing processes. The failure of international agencies to take timely action on the asbestos hazard was due, in some part, to their woeful underestimation of global asbestos mortality. Finally, in 2017 a paper was published which suggested that cumulative annual global asbestos mortality far exceeded previous estimates and could surpass 300,000. The lead author of the 2017 paper was Professor Jukka Takala; details of a presentation he gave last month are recounted in this article including his insightful statement: “Cancer is a disease – Occupational cancer is an administrative decision.” [Read full article]

In the last fortnight a huge furore has been building over news that asbestos contamination had been found in children’s play sand exported from China to Australia and New Zealand. Shortly after the news about the deadly sand broke in Australia, it was reported that asbestos had been found in lift brake pads used across the country by the Chinese-owned energy company Goldwind Australia. In recent years, asbestos alerts for contaminated Chinese exports were issued in multiple countries. Scientific experts have called on the Chinese Government to prohibit the use of all asbestos-containing material. Should the authorities choose to heed their advice it would not only save countless lives at home but would reassure potential importers that products made in China need not carry cancer warning labels. [Read full article]

In less than a week, news that asbestos had been found in colored sand products being used by pre-school and primary school children in Australia reverberated around the world. This was Australia’s second public health asbestos crisis in two years and the media coverage this time round was even more incendiary than it had been in 2024. On November 12, 2025 authorities in Australia and New Zealand confirmed that precautionary measures would be taken following the announcement by the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission that several sand-based products “may contain tremolite asbestos.” A preliminary UK investigation found that one of the products recalled in Australia, currently listed as “unavailable,” had been sold on Amazon UK. [Read full article]

For decades The Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI), a Global Union Federation representing 12 million workers in 117 countries, has been at the forefront of the global campaign to protect workers from toxic asbestos exposures. On November 10, 2025, it issued a position paper recommitting itself to the ban of all asbestos-containing materials. In the new document, the BWI called on the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – a member of the World Bank Group and “the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets” – to “prohibit all investments in asbestos, removing its exemption for bonded asbestos materials.”(The following link is to a permitted copy of the BWI paper.) [Read full article]

The furore that had been building since mid-October over controversial plans by President Trump to demolish part of the White House to build a mega-ballroom exploded last weekend with almost universal negative media coverage. It was not only the speed of the demolition of the East Wing but also the lack of transparency over planning, safety protocols and private donors that were driving public outrage with more than half the Americans polled disapproving of the project. Many critics of Trump’s latest “vanity project” expressed concern about the apparent lack of health and safety protocols to deal with asbestos material which was almost certainly present in the structure. [Read full article]

In the run-up to November meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in South Korea, grassroots activists held “The Ban Asbestos from the Asia-Pacific Region” protest in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul on October 21, 2025. The event was organized by the Asian Citizens' Center for Environmental Health (Eco-Health) and supported by a variety of groups active on environmental and health issues. Commenting on the demonstration, Director of Eco-Health Choi Ye-yong said: “The continued use of asbestos in Asia is contrary not just to APEC’s core objectives but also to the human rights of every individual…. It is time for APEC and other regional bodies to do the right thing and mandate a regional ban on the use of asbestos.” [Read full article]

The news that the first UK toxic talc litigation by cancer sufferers was in the pipeline had been circulating for a couple of years. On October 16, 2025 this was confirmed when a class action began at the High Court in London on behalf of 3,000 plaintiffs who believed their diseases were caused by the use of asbestos-contaminated baby powder produced by the American pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J). Although news of the class action was reported in North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, the country with the most intense interest in the case seemed to be Russia, the world’s largest asbestos producer. Interested? Read on. [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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