Just in from our friends at the ABC:
“Asbestos – The 3rd Wave”
The dramatised version of ABC reporter Matt Peacock’s book has been both a ratings and critical success. It looks at the history of the campaign to make the James Hardie company take responsibility for asbestos related illnesses and deaths.
Asbestos is still with us and still deadly and it’s present in many Canberra and nearby New South Wales buildings.
The health impacts of exposure are likely to peak in around Twenty Thirty.
This is known as the third wave – when those who’ve renovated houses – pulled out bathrooms, knocked out walls – find out that they’ve inhaled asbestos fibres, devil’s dust – and have contracted asbestosis – or even worse – mesothelioma.
Adam Shirley has prepared a special report – featuring asbestos experts, a respiratory specialist, the regulator and the victims. Gwen Leonard speaks for the first time about the death of her husband, newsreader, Peter Leonard. The family believes he was exposed to asbestos during home renovations in the 60s.
We also talk to the young couple whose rented house was renovated last year – while they were in it and they and their belongings were showered with asbestos dust.
