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On March 14, 2026, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) called on the Malaysia government to ensure that all play and craft sand products sold in the country were free from asbestos, an acknowledged carcinogen. The author of the open letter Mohideen Abdul Kader, the President of CAP, reported recent product recalls and market withdrawals in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom of play and craft sand products after laboratory tests had found asbestos contamination. “Unsafe products,” he concluded “threaten lives and undermine fundamental consumer rights, and children should never face preventable risks from toys or craft materials that are assumed to be safe.” See: LETTER | Addressing asbestos risks in children's play and craft sand products.

The article cited below, which was uploaded to an Indian news portal on March 8, 2026, took as its point of departure a commentary published on the website of the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) – this website! The text highlighted growing concerns in multiple countries of the hazard posed by discoveries of asbestos contamination of children’s toys and play sets. As there was no author’s name on the article, it seems likely it was written by AI. Nevertheless, it appears to be a fairly accurate summation of the IBAS March 5, 2026 article: Global Challenges, National Responses. See: Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps.

Last week, the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) issued a public warning after finding asbestos contamination in seven toys and children’s play sets sold in Malta which contained kinetic or decorative sand. The items recalled were made by HTI Toys, Addo Play Ltd. and Orb Toys, and included products sold in the Stretcherz range of toys, Out to Impress sand and candle making sets, and the Orb Funkee set of rubber animal figures. End users were urged “to immediately halt usage” and return the recalled items to the retailers. See: Consumer authority recalls kinetic sand toys due to asbestos contamination.

On March 6, 2026 two Midlands companies – Sohan Group Limited and Maize Metals Limited – and site manager Ali Raza Baig were found guilty of asbestos infringements by breaching the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. The charges related to work undertaken at a Staffordshire demolition site in September 2023. The companies were collectively fined £88,300 with costs of £9,017.65. Baig was sentenced to 26 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years; he received a three-month curfew order and was disqualified from being a director for five years. He was ordered to pay costs of £5,899. See: Two companies and site manager prosecuted following large-scale asbestos disturbance.

On March 13, 2026, the Takamatsu District Court of Japan ordered three building material manufacturers to pay a total of 24.81 million yen (US $155,775) to the families of three construction workers who died of cancer contracted following workplace asbestos exposures. At a press conference after the ruling, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers said: “This is the first ruling in Shikoku to recognize the responsibility of building material manufacturers, and therefore it is of great significance.” See: アスベスト訴訟　建材メーカー3社の責任を認めて総額2481万円の賠償命令　高松地裁 [Asbestos lawsuit: Takamatsu District Court recognizes the responsibility of three building material manufacturers and orders them to pay a total of 24.81 million yen in compensation].

The link below is to a thoughtful and provocative commentary on the plight faced by injured workers trying to obtain compensation for occupational asbestos exposures suffered whilst employed by Transport for London (TfL) – the “statutory transport authority responsible for London's public transport network and main roads.” Whilst the case discussed related to the unacceptable experiences of John Smith, whose claim was dismissed out of hand, across the network there were hazardous close encounters on a daily basis. Between 2002 and 2024, TfL has paid out £7,034,813.25 in compensation and legal fees for asbestos claims. See: Transport for London denies Station Manager’s asbestos exposure.

On March 5, 2026, the Safety Gate Alert system of the European Union (EU) reported the mandatory recall of products containing colored play sand that may “contain” asbestos. The Moxy painting sets featured characters from well-known children’s cartoons including: Peppa Pig, Stitch and Paw Patrol. All the items were exported from China and many were sold via online platforms including bol.com – “the leading online marketplace and retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium.” The tests reported by the EU regulatory agency showed that “The play sand contains asbestos fibres (measured value up to 2% by weight). Asbestos could cause cancer.” See: Alert number: SR/00665/26 - Sand Art Activity Toy.

Certain ranges of toys that were sold in Australia between August 26, 2025 and February 11, 2026 were recalled from end-users by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on March 6, 2026 as tests showed that: “tremolite asbestos has been detected in some samples…” The toxic rubber figures were marketed across Australia by HTI Toys HK Limited under the Stretcherz brand name and included figures from the Stretch Squad XXL and Slammerz range of stretchy toys. HTI Toys HK Limited is a Hong Kong-based subsidiary of the UK-based HTI Group. Consumers were advised to return the products to the retailers. See: Stretcherz Stretch Squad XXL and Slammerz – stretchy toys.

According to data from the City of Calgary, Canada, there are still 67 kilometers of asbestos-cement (AC) pipes being used in the municipal water delivery system. The article cited below featured information provided by Julian Branch – a Regina-based board member of the NGO: Prevent Cancer Now – who summarized the health issues posed by the ingestion of water delivered via pipes made of a carcinogenic mineral. Journalist D.R. Barrios concluded his text by asking a series of cogent questions: “Where are the AC pipes located? Does Calgary test for asbestos fibres during water breakages in areas with [AC pipes] or downstream from AC pipe? Finally, what is the long-term replacement plan for AC pipes, and when can we expect it?” See: Does Calgary have asbestos in its water supply?

On March 6, 2026, the UK’s Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued a recall for ORB Funkee Sand Toys (2603-0062) because “the product presents a risk to health as the sand included in the set may be contaminated with a quantity of asbestos.” The toys were sold between July 2025 and February 2026 through retail outlets such as the Entertainer, Tesco, Matalan, Hobbycraft and British Garden Centres stores as well as via websites. The OPSS reported that the products had been withdrawn from the market and recalled from end users. See: Product Recall: ORB Funkee Sand Toys (2603-0062).

Not so long ago the The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) said that it could not take action on asbestos contamination of children’s toys based on tests carried out by private laboratories. Now it is demanding that all tests undertaken on these products in the Netherlands be shared with the NVWA. Attempting to clarify the confusion, a NVWA spokesperson said “the data from other labs is now being requested (or, if necessary, requisitioned) to make the picture ‘as complete as possible’.” See: Onderzoeken naar asbest in speelzand opgeëist door de NVWA [Research into asbestos in play sand requested by the NVWA].

An Open Access document by Professor and Scientific Consultant Jean Pfau and Tracy McNew, Executive Director of the Center for Asbestos Related Disease clinic, which was uploaded on March 5, 2026 asked some incisive questions about the reasoning behind the federal government’s plans to delist Libby, Montana from the list of contaminated Superfund sites. “Shouldn’t we make sure,” the authors asked “before these areas lose precious protections and resources due to delisting” that people can safely live in Libby without fear of future toxic exposures? See: The Libby Asbestos Superfund Site: Safe or not?

The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is under increasing pressure from civil society groups and campaigners who are demanding the implementation of safety protocols which test, certify and label play and craft sand products as asbestos-free. The calls for the FDA to “take timely and decisive regulatory action” came in the aftermath of disturbing discoveries made regarding asbestos contamination of children’s goods sold in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. See: Civil Society Presses FDA to Assure Consumers that Play and Craft Sand Products Sold Locally are Asbestos-Free.

On March 9, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare issued a notice stating that some products sold by the Silverback company – children’s playsets – had been recalled voluntarily after results showed that they contained more than 0.1% asbestos. Customers were advised not to dispose of the recalled items in the garbage but to call the seller and arrange for them to collect them. Until then, these items should be stored in tightly sealed, plastic bags. See: 石綿（アスベスト）含有品の販売に関する注意喚起について [Warning regarding the sale of products containing asbestos].

The March 6, 2026 parish church farewell to 80-year-old Pier Luigi Piacentino was cancelled on an order from the Ivrea Public Prosecutor's Office. The deceased was a Turin pensioner who had been employed at the Honeywell-Bull industrial plant in Caluso. As there is a suspicion that his death had been caused by mesothelioma, an autopsy was ordered and the funeral postponed. See: Funerali sospesi, l’ombra dell’amianto sulla morte di un pensionato di Caluso [Funeral suspended, the shadow of asbestos on the death of pensioner from Caluso].

The problems posed by asbestos-containing material still present in Manchester schools was the focus of the article cited below. According to asbestos victims’ campaigner Rob Rayner, younger people are now contracting asbestos cancer in greater numbers due to childhood exposures at school. Three hundred and four of Greater Manchester’s 379 (80%) local authority maintained schools still contain asbestos. Expressing her concerns, Shelley Asquith from the Trade Union Congress said: “We are told asbestos can be ‘safe’ if it's left undisturbed, but there's a particular risk with schools where everyday activities of children cause wear and tear.” See: The silent killer hidden in our schools.

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]

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]

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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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