“Outcry over his unnecessary death without concrete action on asbestos”

The story of death of Franco Di Mare seems to have shone a light on the asbestos issue. The Rai journalist, who died due to mesothelioma, a aggressive cancer linked to exposure to asbestosis helping to keep attention high on an issue towards which a certain obscurantism seems to persist in Italy.

Probably due to a substantial element, namely its invisibility, or perhaps to the difficulty of tracing the origin of the contraction, this does not alter the fact that asbestos is a problem that exists and whose dimensions are growing day by day. Telling us about it is Ezio Bonannipresident of the National Asbestos Observatory, as well as Franco Di Mare’s lawyer.

Do you think this story has changed something in the common perception of the problem?

In my opinion, little is changing, I understand the indignation, but I must say that without concrete actions to remove asbestos, from workplaces to schools and hospitals, this massacre is destined to continue.

What is it that we are missing?

We must understand that asbestos is a killer that kills in a “democratic” way, it doesn’t look at anyone in the face, with variable doses that even in small parts can kill.

And apparently there is still a significant presence of asbestos in many structures throughout the country.

If asbestos continues to be present in 2,500 schools, in water pipes, in the old naval units of the navy and even in the Rai headquarters in Viale Mazzini which apparently has not yet been completely reclaimed, the outcry is useless.

Are cases increasing?

Big increase. Unfortunately they are not registered, because the Renam (National Mesothelioma Registry) is stuck in 2017-18 and only registers mesotheliomas, while asbestos also causes a series of other types of cancer. I, personally, have had two relatives die from mesothelioma, one of whom went to school in Turin and died like this at the age of 55 because there was asbestos there in the university, as well as probably also in the barracks where he served military service. But it involves everyone, from teachers to students, there is a considerable number of cases of which we have no perception.

In recent weeks we have been talking about it much more frequently.

There is currently an indignation over Di Mare’s death which is very right, he was the first to interview me on UnoMattina in 2006 and in that case I explained that there would soon be an epidemic. It is no coincidence that the cases exploded. Until the disposal of asbestos through reclamation is included in the government agenda, the massacre will not stop and unfortunately it is destined to grow at least until 2030-2032, because latency times can reach up to 50 years. We are joking with public health and Di Mare’s case demonstrates the destructive impact of asbestos, even a strong man, a fighter, was brought to his knees despite him fighting.

The response to this situation can only be political.

Everything must be contextualized, not just with judicial criteria. The government once said that in case of victims it would be a civil party, but there is no need for a lawsuit when someone is dead. The asbestos problem cannot be solved with the causes.

You have been dealing with the asbestos issue for years now. How has the issue evolved?

25 years ago I saw people dying and no one said anything or knew anything. Even on depleted uranium, there are many war correspondents who have carried out missions and received radiation. A lot of people call me saying they have breathing problems. Unfortunately, even the public service and other national channels make three thousand programs on irrelevant things, when instead attention should be paid to people’s real problems, such as health.

Days ago, regarding the Di Mare case, Inail underlined the alleged impossibility of identifying a connection between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma.

Inail never knows anything. It is an institution that should preserve the health of workers, prevent accidents from occurring, beyond compensation after one falls ill. More inspectors would be needed to prevent injuries and illnesses. In addition to this, it must be said that it doesn’t even provide compensation, because every time there is an occupational disease it disputes everything and this is not good. Also because there is a legal presumption of origin in the case of mesothelioma, therefore there is a reversal of the burden of proof which is borne by Inail. They always pretend to be from Mars. We are involved in gigantic lawsuits against Inail, which disputes everything.

Are there any other details that emerged after his death on the Di Mare issue?

I must keep absolute silence on this, out of the respect we owe to a great man. The daughter already made statements days ago that I essentially agree with.

You said that those responsible had to be identified. That seems to be the point.

As president Ona I can confirm this. Killing someone because perhaps you have exposed them to risk is a crime and therefore in my opinion we need to identify who is responsible. Of course Di Mare didn’t freeze to death.

And the point is also to understand who in Rai refused to give the documentation to Di Mare.

Di Mare da Fazio was clear, there are the words of the protagonist. The use of the term “repugnant”, even if in a polite way, I think says it all. I can only agree with what she said in life. On a personal level it was a great disappointment for me. I had lunch with him after the conference he had chaired months ago, he had done so without saying that he was ill, maintaining confidentiality and acting like a great journalist. I can only say that Italy has lost a great journalist, a good person. A serious damage to the community. That’s what asbestos does, kills people and harms the community. And then INAIL doesn’t recognize illness and you have to file lawsuits for life.

The outcry had also grown in relation to the Mariusz affair Sodkiewicza former Rai employee who died two days before Di Mare.

He had filed a detailed criminal complaint and I believe the matter should be shed light on. The 2011-2012 cleanup in the Rai buildings was not carried out entirely and is lacking. It transpires that asbestos was sprayed in a certain way and there was no way to remove it all. Only the top floor of Viale Mazzini, where the summits are, has been well reclaimed; I don’t see that it is complete on the other floors. It seems that they may move out of that building, even if temporarily. Rai executives are considering a change of location to clean up and then return to Via Mazzini.

Is Sodkiewicz’s case the only case that has come to you from the Rai world?

There are other cases, people write to me continuously, there are alarming situations. Rai workers in Viale Mazzini will also have to undergo health checks. I’ve had two or three new ones recently. A widow whose husband died some time ago came to us.

Could this media story have contributed to triggering public attention on the topic?

Maybe yes. Before it wasn’t talked about at all, not even on public TV, I don’t want to be mean but perhaps it depends on the fact that they have asbestos in their offices and they try to say that asbestos doesn’t cause such harm.