Asbestos News

Though Canada recently took a serious step backwards by moving to revitalize its Jeffrey asbestos mine, it appears as though advocates for the banning of the carcinogenic substance are making strides around the world.

The most recent example can be found in Brazil, where Senior Labor Inspector Fernanda Giannasi recently triumphed in a court battle against the country's asbestos stakeholders, which have been circulating false information about her work, according to the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS).

As a result of the court ruling, the defendants in the case - which include the Brazilian Chrysotile Institute (IBC), freelance journalist Luiz Carlos Bordoni and the asbestos mine workers' trade union, have been ordered to remove what have been deemed offensive statements about Giannasi from their blogs and websites within 15 days. Failure to do so would reportedly result in fines of $2,500 per day, according to IBAS.

The risks of asbestos exposure have been well-documented, with the World Health Organization estimating that 107,000 people die each year as a result of asbestos-related illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. As a result, health groups and scientists around the world have been calling for a worldwide ban on the production and use of asbestos.