Last updated July 21, 2026: all blog pages going back to November, 2011 can be accessed from the link.

The article cited below examined recent asbestos exposure incidents across continental Europe involving carpenters and laborers in Germany, members of the emergency services in the Netherlands and local people in Austria. Despite years of strict European Union regulations and mandatory guidelines, exposures to asbestos remain a reality for many at their workplaces, in their homes and from environmental sources. See: Hidden Danger: Unknowing Exposure to Asbestos Plagues Workers Across Europe.

Asbestos in Schools (Jul 20, 2026, Korea)

Making good use of the summer school holidays, specialist operatives commissioned by the authorities in the Gwangju Metropolitan Government, South Korea will undertake asbestos removal work in the coming weeks at 5 elementary schools and 3 middle schools. By the end of 2026, decontamination work will be completed at a total of 32 schools. According to Superintendent of the Gwangju Western Office of Education Baek Ki-sang: “We will do our utmost to gradually clear up leftover asbestos in schools to create a safe educational environment.” See: 광주 초·중 8개교 22일부터 석면 제거…연말까지 32개교 완료 [Asbestos removal at eight elementary and middle schools in Gwangju starting the 22nd... 32 schools to be completed by the end of the year].

Toxic Waste Sites? (Jul 20, 2026, Kenya)

Activists and environmentalists in Homa Bay county, western Kenya are outraged by plans to dump asbestos debris in the Kasgunga area, near the shores of Lake Victoria. The proposal by Lakers Consultancy Ltd. is a response to the Kenyan Government’s ultimatum calling for property owners to eradicate asbestos contamination in the built environment. According to campaigner Evans Oloo, the proposal is “environmentally dangerous, socially irresponsible, medically hazardous and constitutionally unacceptable.” See: Activists object to dumping of asbestos.

UK:0, EU:1 (Jul 20, 2026, UK)

While the EU introduced stricter regulations to protect workers from toxic asbestos exposures – 0.01 fibers per milliliter (f/ml) over an eight-hour period with further reductions for 2029 – under the questionable oversight of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the UK retained the current asbestos exposure limit of 0.1 f/ml. According to HSE officials, there was no justification for increasing restrictions as there was “insufficient evidence that tighter limits would meaningfully improve health outcomes or further reduce actual exposure levels.” See: Asbestos Risks Persist as UK Holds Firm on Exposure Limits.

Mesothelioma: Research Breakthrough? (Jul 20, 2026, US)

By attacking a patient’s cancer energy system, researchers in Vermont were able to control disease progression in 67% of mesothelioma patients according to a study published on July 14, 2026 in the Journal of Nature Communications. Using the new RSO-021 drug, overall survival improved in a cohort of 15 patients. According to Professor Brian Cunniff: “Our drug has both cytotoxic activity, it can kill the tumor cells, but it also has immunomodulatory capacity where it can modulate the immune system to now manage the tumor.” With the completion of phase two of the drug trial, the research program is expanding. See: New Cancer Drug Shows Promise in Mesothelioma Trial.

Mandatory Maritime Asbestos Surveys (Jul 20, 2026, Netherlands)

In the July 9, 2026 issue of the Royal Inland Shipping Netherlands newsletter it was reported that the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) had issued a notification that it planned to enforce regulations stipulating that all vessels built before 1994 at home or at any time if built abroad had up-to-date asbestos surveys. Because of recent on-board asbestos discoveries, the ILT will embark on a course of inspections that will look for asbestos-containing products such as: brake linings, gaskets, insulation, plating, floor coverings, flue gas ducts, penetrations and leveling floors. See: Aandacht voor asbest aan boord [Attention to asbestos on board].

[See also News Item Archive: http://ibasecretariat.org/abs_archive_news.php (June 2009 to present)]

[See also Article Abstract Archive: http://ibasecretariat.org/abs_archive_articles.php (April 2007 to present)]