2022-11-23

Asbestos is more lethal than previously known. New figures, recognised by the EU institutions, show that 70,000-90,000 Europeans die of asbestos related cancer each year.

To older working men, a known group of victims, women, teachers, hospital personal, office workers, and all people exposed to asbestos in public building and private homes are now added.

The death rate is rising in countries which banned the use of asbestos 30-40 years ago due to demolition and renovation of asbestos that has never been removed. An occupational disease is turning into a general health threat for all.

The European countries have a patchy knowledge of where asbestos is to be found in existing buildings and where and how asbestos waste has been dumped, an investigation in nine countries shows.

Strategies for removal in some countries are not carried out as planned. They will at best be completed in an interval betwwen 60 and 200 years from now.

Contrary to experts’ opinions and death figures of 70,000-90,000, construction companies suggest the annual asbestos death toll for workers is 22 – based on a study issued by the Commission.

The Cross-border investigation “Asbestos: The Lethal Legacy” on asbestos in buildings is led by Investigative Reporting Denmark, edited by Katharine Quarmby, and made in collaboration with journalists from Knack in Belgium, Tygodnik Powszechny and Reporters’ Foundation in Poland, Ostro in Croatia and Slovenia, IRPI in Italy, De Groene Amsterdammer in The Netherlands, Grupo Merca2 in Spain, Al Jazeera in the UK and TV2 Nord in Denmark. 

IMPACT 

UK Parliament debates the need for a nationwide register for asbestos in public buildings. This occurred after the publication of the cross-border investigation titled “Asbestos: The Lethal Legacy” supported by Journalismfund Europe.

Following these debates, the EU Parliament changed respective legislation in October 2023.

Photo credit: B. Jimenez Tejero. "Jesús Ropero died of mesothelioma shortly after this interview. This worker at CAF, a multinational train manufacturer in Spain, removed blue asbestos with his own hands."

Team members

Edoardo Anziano

Edoardo Anziano is a freelance journalist and investigative reporter for IrpiMedia and Scomodo.

Edoardo Anziano

Lorenzo Bagnoli

Lorenzo Bagnoli is co-director, journalist, editor and coordinator of international projects at IrpiMedia.

Lorenzo Bagnoli

Brecht Castel

Brecht Castel is a Belgian freelance journalist and works for the Belgian magazines Knack and De Standaard. 

Brecht Castel

Jenni Elisabeth Christensen

Jenni Elisabeth Christensen is an editor at the Danish regional media TV2 Nord which covers the northern part of Jutland.

Jenni Elisabeth Christensen

Staffan Dahllöf

Staffan Dahllöf is a freelance reporter based in Copenhagen, specialised in FOI.

Staffan Dahllöf

Anuška Delić

Anuška Delić is a founder and editor-in-chief at Oštro, Center for investigative journalism in the Adriatic region.

Anuška Delić

Rasit Elibol

Rasit Elibol, The Netherlands, is an investigative journalist at De Groene Amsterdammer.

Rasit Elibol ©Bob Bronshoff

Emma Fjordbak

Emma Fjordbak, Denmark, works as an investigative journalist at the regional public service station TV2 Nord.

Emma Fjordbak

Lotte Lambrecht

Lotte Lambrecht is a Belgian independent journalist.

Lotte Lambrecht

Emilia García Morales

Emilia García Morales is an investigative and data journalist based in Madrid, Spain.

Emilia García Morales

Nils Mulvad

Nils Mulvad is an investigative journalist, affiliated with Investigative Reporting Denmark. 

Ante Pavić

Ante Pavić, is a journalist and editor in numerous Croatian daily and weekly newspapers.

Ante Pavić

Katharine Quarmby

Katharine Quarmby is an experienced and award-winning journalist, writer and editor, based in the UK.

Marcos García Rey

Marcos García Rey (Spain), is a reporter with El Confidencial.

Krzysztof Story

Krzysztof Story is a journalist based in Poland.

Krzysztof Story

Beatriz Jiménez Tejero.

Beatriz Jiménez Tejero. Investigative journalist at Grupo Merca2, Spain.

Beatriz Jiménez Tejero

Matej Zwitter

Matej Zwitter is a qualified engineer from Slovenia who strayed into the domain of journalism. 

Supported
€21.500 granted on 21/12/2021
ID
ENV1/2021/018

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