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On February 26, 2026, German authorities from the Consumer Agency announced the withdrawal of another set of products from the market “due to possible traces of asbestos in toys filled with sand.” The products recalled – which were stretchable rubber dolls – were sold nationwide by retailers under the trade name “Pufferz.” Consumers were warned that due to the potential health risk to children they should stop using the toys immediately and return them to the point of sale. See: Germany recalls sand filled children’s toys suspected of containing asbestos.

UK stakeholders announced last month that initiatives had been mounted to tackle the existence of incompetent and unqualified asbestos surveyors and the widespread fraud perpetrated by them. The statement below by the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) detailed their collaboration with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), the Royal Society for Public Health, trading standards services and the Daily Mail newspaper to “bring fraudulent asbestos surveyors to justice.” See: Action to Tackle Fraudulent Asbestos Surveyors Defrauding Householders and Businesses and Threatening Health.

On February 26, 2026, the French authorities announced the official suspension of the sale of all sand-based toys after several recalls had been issued due to the presence of asbestos contamination. The affected products included colored play sand for creative activities as well as modelling sand also known as “magic sand.” The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) recommended “precautionary measures to professionals and parents with regard to health risks.” See: Amiante dans des jouets à base de sable: les autorités appellent à suspendre leur vente en France [Asbestos in sand-based toys: the authorities call for their sale to be suspended in France].

The timely LinkedIn post by Environmental Consultant Ahmad Shendi cited below reviewed the wide-ranging nature of the challenges New Zealanders faced in dealing with asbestos issues. Far from being “just” a historic problem Shendi explained, significant challenges remained such as the presence of asbestos-containing material throughout the country’s infrastructure, the environmental pollution caused by illegal dumping of toxic debris and the asbestos contamination of products being sold throughout the country. See: Out of Sight, Out of Mind? The New Frontier of Asbestos in Aotearoa.

Last month, Rome’s Appeal Court ordered the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to pay compensation to the children of Marshal Leopoldo Di Vico, who had served in the Italian army from 1978 to 2013 as a mechanic and maintainer of armored vehicles. As a result of routine occupational asbestos exposures, he died in 2015 after a long illness. The children Giuseppe and Mario were each awarded a lump sum of €100,000 (US$115,640) and a lifetime monthly allowance of €800 (US$925). See: Amianto nell'esercito: indennizzo da 100mila euro ciascuno per i figli di un maresciallo [Asbestos in the army: compensation of 100 thousand euros each for the children of a marshal].

It was announced on February 26, 2026 by the Jeonbuk Office of Education, South Korea that 100% of asbestos-containing material had been removed from school buildings in Jeonbuk. As a result, all of city’s public kindergartens and schools were asbestos-free. Work began in 2014 with an asbestos survey of all 897 schools by the Jeonbuk Office of Education; the asbestos map produced revealed a total of 1,653,681 square meters of contaminated material. According to Kim Jong-ki, head of the facilities department: “The complete removal of asbestos, a carcinogen, has created conditions for students’ right to health to be greatly improved…” See: 전북교육청, 학교 석면 '제로' 선언 [Jeonbuk Office of Education declares ‘zero’ asbestos in schools].

Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) issued an alert on February 25, 2026 after a toy sold under the My Living brand name was found to be contaminated with tremolite asbestos. My Living World Worm World Kit, had been available at retail outlets and from online platforms including Amazon. According to the CCPC: “The product may present a health risk …” The supplier – Scientific Laboratory Supplies Limited (SLS Ltd) – issued a voluntary nationwide recall of the product. See: Urgent recall after asbestos found in children's toy sold across Ireland.

The commentary cited below was uploaded to a prominent Tunisian online news outlet “frequently cited as a key source for economic and financial updates”: Business News Tunisia. The text consisted of an analysis of Facebook warnings regarding the carcinogenic hazard posed by using Johnson & Johnson’s iconic baby powder. After exploring key issues involved and presenting evidence from international sources, the author concluded: “the warnings circulating on social media are not unfounded; potential risks have been identified and acknowledged by international scientific bodies.” See: Poudre Johnson et cancer : risques reconnus et lourdes condamnations [Johnson's powder and cancer: acknowledged risks and severe penalties].

According to information from Edinburgh City Council released to The Scotsman newspaper, 90 schools and nurseries in the Scottish capital are still contaminated with asbestos. These buildings account for 75% of all the municipality’s educational infrastructure and include 14 nurseries, five high schools, three special education schools and many primary schools. The two types of asbestos found were chrysotile (white) and crocidolite (blue). A full list of the contaminated schools was provided. See: Exclusive: Edinburgh schools: Asbestos found in 90 schools and nurseries in Edinburgh – full list revealed.

On February 25, 2026, the Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation launched a $1.5 billion claim against the West Australian Government over its failure to remediate more than three million tonnes of toxic asbestos waste created by years of asbestos mining in the Pilbara Region despite receiving over $70 billion in mining royalties. The waste left at the site of the derelict Wittenoom mine and the town where mine workers had lived has made this site so toxic that it was not only closed but also wiped off maps. See: ‘There's stories there that can never be told’: $70 billion in royalties, but WA Government still doing nothing over Wittenoom's asbestos legacy.

On February 23, 2026, the French Government recalled multiple children's figurines sold in various stores over fears the toys might contain asbestos. The announcement of this action appeared online on RappelConso, the French government website and database for alerts on dangerous or non-compliant consumer products; the alert warned consumers that “exposure to this material can pose a high health risk if the product is damaged and the stuffing leaks (particularly through inhalation).” Purchasers were given until April 13 to return the goods and claim their refunds. See: Des jouets vendus chez Action rappelés dans toute la France, ils pourraient contenir de l'amiante [Toys sold at Action recalled throughout France, they may contain asbestos].

Last month, the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment released news that the Firemex company had issued a voluntary recall of fire doors due to suspected asbestos contamination. Building owners were advised to follow their Asbestos Management Plan and “treat affected doors as potentially containing asbestos until testing confirms otherwise.” Queries relating to these doors should be referred to the Firemex company; enquiries are ongoing with foreign suppliers regarding this issue. See: Voluntary recall of potentially asbestos impacted fire doors sold by Firemex.

On February 24, 2026 Product Safety New Zealand issued a recall for packets of Rangoli Colour [identifier number 645759210685] which had been sold at DH Supermarket Flatbush and DH Supermarket Papatoetoe in South Auckland from October 15 until December 12, 2025. The material had been supplied by Farm Fresh Produce Limited. According to the official website, the government recall was taken due to suspected asbestos contamination. Rangoli is a traditional Indian art form which uses brightly colored sand-like powder, such as the material recalled, to create intricate Hindu patterns. See: Rangoli Colour – sold at DH Supermarkets.

A February 21, 2026 article on a Chinese news portal detailed the current turmoil in The Netherlands caused by discoveries of the sale of asbestos-contaminated children’s products from multiple retailers. The article featured news of the recall of own-brand products as well as pictures of recalled items sold by the iconic Dutch department store HEMA. However, the author omitted any mention of the fact that the recalled goods had been made in China. See:【荷兰】现石棉，越来越多荷兰商店召回儿童沙 [[Netherlands] Asbestos discovered, more and more Dutch stores recall children's sand].

As more and more children’s products were recalled in the Netherlands due to asbestos contamination, experts raised the alarm over the hazard posed by returning potentially toxic material to retail outlets. Trade union official Daniëlle Wiek pointed out: “It is not acceptable that companies that have sold asbestos-containing play sand now off-load the problem to their employees by having them accept return products without specific instructions or protection… Shop employees are not trained to deal with asbestos. That is specialist work.” See: Zorgen over terugroepacties van speelzand: ‘Behandel het als asbesthoudend afval’ [Concerns about recalls of play sand: ‘Treat it as asbestos-containing waste’].

The lengthy article in the February 23, 2026 issue of the Sun newspaper detailed the latest children’s product – The Kids Create Sand Art Kit – recalled in the UK due to asbestos contamination and provided an extensive list of other toys withdrawn from sale by the Office for Product and Safety Standards. Customers who had purchased recalled items were advised to package them in heavy-duty bags and return them “to the place of purchase for redress.” See: ASBESTOS ALERT. More toys containing cancer-causing asbestos are recalled in UK as parents urged to chuck them away ‘in heavy-duty bag.’

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]

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]

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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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