Over the course of a century, usage of the toxic substance asbestos in Europe has largely mirrored use of the material here in the United States. Many countries either have a ban or strict regulations on asbestos use, which has been the case for about 20 years. However, it was only this week that the first Europeans were convicted of crimes associated with the use of asbestos, which is known to cause deadly cancers such as mesothelioma. Previously, companies, not people, had been the only parties held accountable for asbestos-related damages.
In Turin, Italy, a court has convicted Swiss business tycoon Stephan Schidheiny and a Belgian baron, Jean-Louis de Cartier, of negligence stemming from some 2,200 asbestos-related deaths in Italy before 1992. The BBC reports that the Italian court said the two had failed to follow safety rules at building firm Eternit, where they were key shareholders. They denied the charges, but now face lengthy prison sentences.
This verdict has excited asbestos advocates and victims, including people like us at Ban Asbestos Now, who are working to ban asbestos around the world. According to Euronews, French groups say they hope to see similar cases in their country, which has seen little progress on behalf of asbestos victims. Lawyer Jean-Paul Teissonnière said, “Asbestos justice handed down in Italy is the example for us to follow. In France, complaints were brought by victims and associations in 1996.”
This criminal conviction marks a major breakthrough from a legal perspective. Laurie Kazan-Allen, coordinator with the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS), said, “There has never been a trial like the one that is happening in Italy. This is an incredible historic achievement. And I’m really sorry to say that we have never had anything like this in Great Britain. What we have there is individuals who will go to the courts to get compensation, but no one has ever been punished for the decisions they made as the heads of asbestos corporations.”
Although several similar convictions have been made here in the United States, asbestos remains legal here.
Isn’t time we stop all use of this toxic substance? Join our fight; ban asbestos now.