A Comparative Perspective of Asbestos as an Industrial and Environmental Hazard

Asbestos as a widely used hazardous material shows an unprecedented, but also exemplary, 'career of a substance' from miracle fiber to deadly dust with epidemic dimensions. In the case studies of four countries, the specific constellations of the asbestos problem are outlined and the story of the interaction of scientific knowledge, corporate practice, and public policy is traced. The analysis focuses on three aspects: the connection between industrial disease and environmental disease, the issue of asbestos knowledge and legislation, and the actions of the major players - the government of each country, multinational corporations, and the victims of asbestos-related diseases. The asbestos story illustrates impressively how much time is required for a society to recognize and deal with the risks of hazardous industrial substances. And the global dimension shows that a precarious substance can still become an acute problem again even after decades of political and scientific regulation.