Asbestos News

The city of Plymouth, England, is currently holding a memorial for victims of the asbestos-related cancer malignant mesothelioma, the BBC reports.

According to the news source, patients suffering from asbestos-related illnesses, as well as friends and family of victims are encouraged to lay flowers at a specially planted tree in the grounds of the Saltram House, which dates back to the 18th century.

Organized by the South West Mesothelioma Group based at the Macmillan Mustard Tree Cancer Support Centre at Derriford Hospital, the event marks its second consecutive year at the Saltram House, the BBC reports.

Kate Lansdell, a lung cancer/mesothelioma nurse specialist at Derriford Hospital, told the news source that the event was organized to raise awareness that asbestos is still a major health threat.

"Millions of homes were built when asbestos was regularly used in a wide variety of ways and as long as these buildings are inhabited asbestos can still pose a potential risk if disturbed," Lansdell explained.

All told, asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer claim the lives of approximately 107,000 people around the world each year, according to the World Health Organization.