Category Medical and Health

By now, most people are well aware of how risky asbestos can be. But not all know about the large-scale disasters that error, negligence, and ignorance toward asbestos caused. Here, we will be discussing 2 major asbestos tragedies that are still claiming victims.

The Wittenoom Tragedy

West Australia’s Wittenoom town is now known as the ghost town that had only 3 people living in 2016. But in the ‘50s, it was the biggest town in Pilbara. After the discovery of blue asbestos in 1917 here, big mining functions were established in the ‘30s, which a sugar company CSR took over in 1948. If you believe the evidence, CSR was well aware of the risk that asbestos dust presented to the community. But the company did almost nothing to prevent the vulnerable and instead did activities that might have increased the exposure:

• Making the mine workers stay in tents near the mill, around a kilometre away
• Using open trucks to transport asbestos after processing to Port Samson
• Improper ventilation in the mill and mine with visible particles of asbestos reduces the visibility
• Employees offered no preventive gear apart from some respirators that were of no use

9/11

9/11 was a tragic event that terrified the world but the aftermath was much worse. The building rubble released the toxic dust after falling. Twin towers were built in the ‘70s using roughly 400 tonnes of asbestos for fireproofing, drywall, and insulation. In 2001, when the towers collapsed, it is assumed that almost 2000 tonnes of asbestos fibres were released into the air, making many get exposed.

Asbestos can be life-threatening if not treated right. So, you should always get in touch with professionals for asbestos removal in Newcastle.