Asbestos News

The government of the Australian state of New South Wales recently pledged millions of dollars to clean up an old asbestos mine.

The government will give $6.3 million for the cleanup of the Woodsreef asbestos mine in the northwest area of the state, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports. The move was in part prompted by a report from New South Wales' ombudsman that said the mine was a danger to the nearby town of Barraba.

"Even though there was good signage and gates and things, unfortunately people were still accessing the site and in some cases were vandalizing or just tampering with remains of asbestos produces in the area or buildings," Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan told the news source. "We want to see the works done. They certainly won't be stopped for lack of money."

Specifically, the funding will go to the removal of the silos, the demolition of the main building and air monitoring at the site.

Once prized for its resistance to fire, asbestos was heavily mined in many countries. However, by the mid-1960s it became known that exposure to the material can cause malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.