City of Perth lights up blue in memory of lives lost to asbestos.
During National Asbestos Awareness Week 2023, Reflections once again lit Perth City blue, commemorating those who have lost their lives to asbestos-related disease and serving as a reminder to maintain vigilance when it comes to asbestos safety.
Despite the complete ban on asbestos in Australia, 20 years ago this month, its impact is still with us. Shockingly, an estimated 4,000 people succumb to asbestos-related disease each year in Australia.
Asbestos was used in over 3,000 products resulting in an estimated 6.2 million tonnes of asbestos-containing materials still in our built environment. These materials are aging and deteriorating. The bonding materials are breaking down leaving the indestructible asbestos fibres exposed. Recent events, such as floods, cyclones and fires, highlight the ongoing risk of asbestos exposure and environmental contamination to the community.
Having personally experienced the loss of asbestos-related disease, our team feels privileged to walk alongside others going through some of their darkest times. While they had fun roaming the city streets and snapping photos, it was also a sobering reminder of the importance of the work we do in and for the community to reduce the ongoing impact of asbestos.
