Asbestos-containing waste from a construction site in the Victorian council area of City of Whittlesea has triggered a joint investigation by the council and the Victorian branch of the Environmental
Four year delay in making asbestos presence known at Sydney school
A report revealed that Castle Hill High School had detected levels of asbestos four years before action was taken to remediate it. In 2020, the NSW Department of Education announced
Asbestos concerns linger in WA wheatbelt
Residents of Western Australia’s wheat belt are battling huge remediation bills after massive bushfires swept through the area in February this year. One couple who spoke to ABC News said they were
Why does mould keep coming back?
It’s no secret that mould issues are incredibly prevalent across the eastern states of Australia right now. A wetter than usual autumn followed by a chilly start to winter has
Mould outbreaks on cots across Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand customers of a cot brand have discovered mould outbreaks on the product after reports of mould growing on the cots in Australia. One woman who explained the discovery
Mushrooms in ceilings and uncleaned vacancies – how mould is affecting Sydneysiders
Sydney residents struggling with high humidity and rising rates of mould outbreaks following an unseasonably damp start to winter are now faced with a new conundrum – who should pay
Real estate agency tells tenants to open windows to prevent mould as city shivers through unusually cold start to winter
A Sydney real estate agency is under fire for telling tenants to open windows and air out their properties to prevent mould outbreaks as the city shivers through its coldest
Calls for new “mould free” housing standards
One Victorian family is fighting to make the risks of mould exposure more well known, after their own extensive journey with mould-related illnesses. The family moved into a new build
Are passive homes the answer to the mould crisis?
Are passive homes the answer to Australia’s mould crisis? One builder, who recalls his own childhood as one spent in a damp and drafty house, believes so. it was the
NT Police Management under fire over mould in police housing
Northern Territory Police Management is under fire after it has been revealed that a home it utilised to house officers had mould issues as far back as 2003, and recommended
Woman’s nearly fatal diagnosis after mould found growing in her lungs
Health experts have been warning Australians about the health effects of mould in homes after unexpectedly wet autumn weather. One young woman in Canberra has made a startling and potentially
Mould warning for snow enthusiasts as wet and blustery conditions continue in the alps
The chilly conditions felt across much of southern and eastern Australia this week has meant a bountiful and early start to the snow season in the Alps. The Snowy Mountains
Push for mould protections in tenant legislation
One Wollongong man, who says he spends a whole day each month cleaning mould from his rental property, highlights the growing numbers of Australians living in sub-par conditions. He says
Vehicle written off after mould infestation
A Brisbane man has urged vehicle owners to check their insurance policies after his car became infested with mould and had to be written off. The man had a fixed
Sydney mum diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome due to mould exposure
A Sydney woman has spoken out about a severe reaction to mould that she suffered, wanting to raise awareness of the severity of illness that can be attributed to mould
Where to look for mould growth in your home
Health experts are continuing to warn east coast residents about humidity in the home and with another cold and damp week predicted, have highlighted the places homeowners should be keeping
Mould takes over cars and homes in QLD, new report shows almost 1 in 5 affected
As many as one in five Queensland homes have been affected by mould, according to new research. The report, called the Mitsubishi Electric Health Home Trends, noted that 18 per
New research highlights prevalence of treatment-resistance mould-related disease
A new research paper out of the Imperial College London has warned that drug-resistant mould is spreading and causing health issues in vulnerable people. The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is often found in
Hardware stores run low on mould remover as outbreaks grow
Eastern Australian hardware stores have been stripped bare of mould killer after an unprecedented run of wet weather. The scale of residents dealing with mould outbreaks can be seen at
How bad is mould exposure for your health?
Recently, there has been an uptick in mould across Australian homes, particularly over the eastern coast, where significant rainfall has been seen. According to mould removalists, the increased humidity has
Mould, prevention and treatment – what to do after humid & wet weather
Significant and prolonged periods of wet weather across swathes of the country have seen demand for mould removal services increase significantly. Many Australians are learning the hard way that mould
New reforms for silica dust safety implemented in the ACT
The ACT Government recently announced work health and safety reforms for silica dust, which it says is critical in controlling the deadly disease which is rising in prevalence among Australian
Scammers who swindled $434K out of fraudulent repairs and remediation jobs jailed
Three UK nationals have been jailed for running a fraudulent roof repair scheme. They posited false damage in the homes of elderly Aussies and falsely reported and conducted asbestos remediation
New crystalline silica regulations see extension of dry cutting ban, new safety standards
Crystalline silica is often contained in products like engineered stone, ceramic tiles, bricks, marble and concrete, and the risks associated with working with it can result in fatal lung diseases,
Mesothelioma rates increasing in women
Mesothelioma rates are increasing in women, according to a new report by the CDC. Malignant mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos or asbestos-containing materials and is often considered an
NSW EPA scraps new asbestos regulation changes
The New South Wales branch of the Environmental Protection Authority has decided against new safety regulations after concerning levels of asbestos were uncovered in landscaping products made from building waste.
Developer fights fine of $300K for dumping of hazardous materials with $18M clean up bill
The removal of a raft of hazardous materials, including contaminated soil and asbestos at the Darwin Harbour, could cost up to $18 million, according to a hearing in the Supreme
Suspension of asbestos removal license in SA over repeated safety breaches
Last week, SafeWork SA moved to cancel the class A asbestos removal license of a South Australian asbestos removalist and demolition contractor. According to SafeWork, the company has a history
Queensland unions fire back over changes to workers comp for dust disease sufferers
Queensland unions have voiced their concerns over the proposed changes to compensation payments, which would see the rights of terminally ill workers wound back and delays placed on lump-sum compensation
New mesothelioma treatment providing hope for UK patients
Patients with mesothelioma could expect better life expectancy and overall outcomes with the results of a new drug offering hope to millions of sufferers. The trial using the drug abemaciclib
$460,000 in fines for fraudulent and illegal disposal of asbestos material from Green Square site
The former director of a company, which was paid $4 million to remove asbestos from a Green Square development site, has been fined $460,000 over the illegal dumping of the
Company directors jailed, business fined £100K over “cutting corners” and falsifying records
A British asbestos management company has been fined after prosecution by the HSE, while two of its employees have been jailed for ‘failing to protect workers from asbestos exposure’ during
Chemical companies push back against proposed EPA ban on asbestos in the US
Many asbestos awareness advocates were pleased by the news of a proposed ban on asbestos in the United States, but numerous chemical industry titans continue to fight against the proposal.
Advice from SafeWork NSW on cleaning up in flood affected areas, for asbestos and mould
The New South Wales safety regulator has released a comprehensive guide to managing worker and employer safety during and after a natural disaster. With many parts of the state still
Link between silica exposure and black lung disease proven with new study
Exposure to silica dust appears to be the cause of a recent epidemic of black lung disease among coal miners in America’s Appalachia region, according to a new study. The
Trades unions go after Morrison over workplace health and safety ‘regression’
The Australian Council of Trades Unions has accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of failing to take workplace health and safety seriously. According to the ACTU, the rate of serious workplace
Madrid’s Metro workers strike, rally over the death of colleagues from asbestos exposure
Workers for Madrid’s Metro system have rallied over the deaths of a number of employees due to asbestos-related illnesses. On Wednesday, dozens of workers from the Metro de Madrid rallied
South London estate ‘riddled’ with asbestos set to see remediation costs soar
One housing estate in South London has been so affected by asbestos that a resident revealed a plumber told him to be careful coming into contact with his ceiling lest
icare found to have underpaid workers diagnosed with dust diseases by as much as $39M
The New South Wales state insurer, icare, has knowingly underpaid state workers diagnosed with dust diseases. The underpayment is close to three times the size of the figure the insurer
Swiss businessman sentenced to prison over asbestos-related death
An Italian court has sentenced a Swiss businessman to 42 months in prison following the death of a worker at an asbestos company. The jury trial found Stephan Schmidheiny guilty
Three directors and company charged over alleged illegal waste dumping
The Environmental Protection Authority has charged a Melbourne company and three directors after allegedly dumping waste that had been contaminated with asbestos. Kyle Road Developments Pty Ltd and its three
New HBO Documentary focuses on asbestos in cosmetics in first episode
A new documentary on HBO Max, “Not So Pretty”, shines a light on the prevalence of talc in cosmetic products. It is the first documentary aimed at exposing the safety
$13 million spent on asbestos removal in Queensland schools
More than 200 Queensland state schools have had asbestos remediation works in the last financial year, with the state government spending more than $13 million on removing the hazardous material.
$20,000 in fines for PCBU who knowingly sent contractors to asbestos-contaminated worksite
A Canadian PCBY who sent more than a dozen workers into a job site that they knowlingly knew was contaminated with asbestos has been fined $20,000 and banned from operating
Corroded and damaged water pipes show ‘abundant evidence’ of asbestos fibres
Aging cement water pipes in New Zealand are eroding faster than expected, with many community members concerned about the presence of asbestos in drinking water as a result. A University
Queensland mine worker sues Fortescue, Rio Tinto & others for $3.2M over silicosis diagnosis
A Queensland mine worker has launched legal action against his former employers, many of whom are mining heavyweights, over his silicosis diagnosis. Che-Leon Anderson has commenced legal action against BMA,
Proposed site for new Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital contaminated with asbestos and hazardous waste
The proposed location for the new Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital has been found to be contaminated with friable asbestos and hazardous waste, including lead. The contamination of the site at the Bankstown
Traditional landowners call for complete remediation of Wittenoom – is it possible?
Is it possible to remediate all of Wittenoom? With the town formally closed as of last month, both experts and traditional land owners say that the site should be successfully
Indigenous Childcare Centre raises concerns over asbestos exposure
An Indigenous childcare centre has raised safety concerns after toxic fill was used at a construction site nearby. The Yappera Children’s Service Co-Operative in Thornbury is near the Sir Douglas
US EPA looks to ban chrysolite asbestos
The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States has moved to propose an outright ban on chrysolite asbestos, which is the most common form of it that is still available
