In the late 1990s, I came across a book in an op shop titled Blue Murder by Ben Hills. The cover featured the ghostly image of the face of a miner. Below that was the book’s subtitle: Two thousand doomed to die – the shocking truth about Wittenoom’s deadly dust. My interested was piqued and I bought the book. Before long I had learnt a lot about a disease I’d heard of, but knew nothing about: mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer caused in the vast majority of cases by exposure to asbestos. In the past, for many people around the world exposed to asbestos through work, mesothelioma became a ticking time bomb. They may have had decades without symptoms before the disease reared its ugly head, condemning many to a slow, painful death.
I will not get into the tragic truth of workers being exposed to asbestos for years after many employers knew of the potentially fatal consequences. That story was covered by Ben Hills, and in even more shocking detail in Gideon Haigh’s excellent 2006 book, Asbestos House.
The concern today is a newly released report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The report, Mesothelioma in Australia 2023, contains some concerning revelations about the disease in today’s world.
Disturbingly, it reveals that the number of cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year has steadily increased over the past 40 years.
Why are mesothelioma cases on the rise?
Given Gideon Haigh’s book was published nearly two decades ago, and Ben Hills’ 35 years ago, why the ongoing rise? The knowledge of the danger of asbestos has been widely known for those four decades. With that knowledge, should not preventative measures have lowered the incidence of mesothelioma?
These are fair questions for which the report provides two likely contributing factors.
The first of these is the insidious nature of mesothelioma. The report notes: “It can take many years after being exposed to asbestos (between 20 and 60 years) for mesothelioma to develop.”
Data provided in the report shows the majority of people diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2023 were aged 75 to 79. It also calculated a median age at diagnosis of 77 years. Victims in that age group could therefore have been exposed to asbestos prior to the publication of Blue Murder.
What’s more, asbestos has only been banned in Australia since the end of 2003.
A second likely contributing factor was identified in a survey of 1305 sufferers of mesothelioma. That survey revealed a number of Australians who have had what the report refers to as “non-occupational exposure” to asbestos.
These participants were divided into six categories as follows:
- undertaken major home renovations that involved asbestos products (excluding paid work)
- lived in a house undergoing renovations
- serviced car brakes/clutch (excluding paid work)
- lived in the same home as someone with a job where they were exposed to asbestos and who came home dusty
- lived in a house made of fibro [asbestos cement sheets] that was built between 1947 and 1987.
A disease we should know about
Despite the banning of new asbestos products in 2003 (far too late, some would say) the risk of mesothelioma remains. Many Australians doing their own home renovations are taking to asbestos with a sledgehammer without realising the risk they’re taking. They are either unaware that they’re dealing with asbestos, or unaware of the risks the material poses.
I witnessed an example of this myself when the neighbour of a friend began to demolish a backyard fibro shed. The friend immediately alerted the local council and also asked the neighbour to stop. The neighbour was happy to comply once alerted to the risk.
It is perhaps relevant to note that the neighbour had migrated to Australia recently, and knew nothing of the danger. On the other hand, I know people who have grown up in Australia whose knowledge of mesothelioma and asbestos is minimal at best.
According to the AIHW, Australia has one of the highest measured incidence rates of mesothelioma in the world. Perhaps it’s time for Australian governments – local, state and federal – did more to raise awareness of the risks of mesothelioma.
Were you aware of the rising rate of mesothelioma? Do you think more needs to be done to publicise the risks of asbestos exposure? Let us know via the comments section below.
Also read: Cancer rates in Australia are the world’s worst
Disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.
