MILAN – Tomorrow we celebrate World Asbestos Victims Day which represents an international moment of commemoration for honor workers who died from illnesses caused by the dangerous mineral. The whole world is united to also reflect on the challenges still present linked to this carcinogenic substance highly harmful to human health which, according to WHO statistics, sees approximately 125 million workers worldwide Still regularly exposedand more 107 thousand die every year due to asbestoswithout there being a global trade ban of products and materials containing killer fibre.
The situation in Europe
Precisely the highest incidence of cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases that in Europeonly in 2023, caused 70 thousand deathsfinally induced the European Parliament to reflect on primary prevention and to raise attention to the risk of asbestos with a new directive which came into force on December 20, 2023 which he introduced important changes to the protection of workers exposed during workbut in Italy the question seems to have been neglected in the National Recovery and Resilience Planwith just a hint on the subject.
The situation in Italy
The epidemiological impact of asbestos in Italy: in the last 10 years have died from asbestos-related diseases approximately 60 thousand people. In the’year 2023 the National Asbestos Observatory has recorded approximately 2000 cases Of mesotheliomawith a mortality indexcompared to 5 years priorof approximately 93% of cases. In the same year there were approx 4000 new diagnoses Of lung cancer For exposure to asbestos (net of smoking and other carcinogens), with a survival index (at 5 years) estimated 12% for a calculation of approx 3500 deaths. It must then be taken into account that asbestos causes asbestosis with cardiac repercussions, with an impact that has been recorded at the rate of 500 deathsto which must be added other neoplasms, including cancer of the larynx, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon, ovaries, and cholangiocarcinoma of the liver, with an overall impact of more than 7000 deaths and of 10,000 new patients.
Lombardy black shirt
In the ranking of the most affected regions in first place is the Lombardy: (mesotheliomas up to 2017 in the VII ReNaM report: 6653, equal to 21.1%). The National Asbestos Observatory took a census in approximately 2023 500 mesotheliomaswith an impact of approximately 470 deathsand more 1000 diagnoses of asbestos-related lung cancerwith approx 880 deathsTherefore a total of 1350 deathswhich with the addition of other pathologies They were exceeded 2000 deaths for all asbestos related diseases. This impact is linked to the fact that it is the most industrialized regionwith more massive use of asbestos until the ban of Law 257/92. On the contrary it is also the most equipped region in terms of landfills, and therefore reclamation. In fact, only during 2022 and 2023 did it record the average of 33.2% of all asbestos disposed of at a national level. The asbestos plan in force until 2027assumes the removal of 1.18 million m3 of asbestos cement.
“On this day, when the victims of asbestos are remembered, we appeal to Premier Meloni to return it to the Government agenda. We remember that only reclamation and safety can avoid exposure to asbestos and therefore future diagnoses of asbestos-related diseases which unfortunately, in more than 90% of cases turn into a death sentence” – so declares the lawyer Ezio BonanniPresident of the National Asbestos Observatory.
Among the over 30 thousand cases examined in the seventh Report of the National Mesothelioma Registry, published on 14 February 2022 on 70% of exposure modes was directly linked to working conditions. L’buildingthe metalworking hey shipyards emerge as sectors at riskbut traces of asbestos were also found in unexpected sectors like the systems of refiningi shipyards and even him sugar factorythe.
The risk map
The risk map: they are still present in 2024 40 million tons of asbestos inside 1 million sites and micrositesof which 50 thousand industrialistsAnd 42 of national interest. The situation is even more dramaticas the dangerous carcinogen is also present in buildings 2,500 schools (est. 2023), within which more than 352,000 students and 50,000 teaching and non-teaching staff. Still, 1,500 libraries and cultural buildings including at least 500 hospitals (low estimate because the ONA mapping is still in progress), have asbestos components in the structures and/or technical systems, in particular thermal, electrical and thermo-hydraulic. Same public aqueductsincluding the connections, in everything at least 500,000 km of pipes, They are made of asbestos cementAnd the impact is significant Also due to erosionmaintenance activities, earthquakes and seismic swarms which cause contamination of drinking water (asbestos is carcinogenic even if ingested), and it also adds to the fact that due to anthropic uses in families and companies, water evaporates and contaminates living and working places, even with inhalation additional to ingestion.
Diagnoses are increasing
They are there every year 10 thousand new diagnosesmainly menfor reasons of their professional commitment and/or workers in factories or military sites and in particular in the regions at greatest risk which, with a annual average of diagnosed cases between 1,500 and 1,800beyond the LombardyI am the Piedmontthe Liguria and the Lazio which represent beyond the 56% of reported cases.
