A major problem in many countries
The negative effects on people’s health of a dangerous substance were highlighted in the most dramatic manner after the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001. Large quantities of asbestos dust were released into the atmosphere, affecting not only the rescue teams but the residents of New York. In Europe, according to the European Organization for Health and Safety, 500,000 people will lose their lives over the next 30 years because of asbestos-related diseases. In the UK, about 3,000 people die every year from these causes and this number is expected to rise to 10,000 by 2010. In Sweden it has been estimated that more deaths are attributed to asbestos exposure than to all work-related accidents combined.
