Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers kill 5,000 people each year in Britain, and this grim statistic has led an all-party parliamentary group to demand action against construction giant Altrad. In 2017, the company acquired Cape—one of Britain’s largest asbestos manufacturers—and after examining that company’s “disastrous legacy,” the parliamentarians insist that Altrad be banned from all government contracts unless it contributes £10 million toward cancer research.
Mesothelioma Research Funding Becomes Central Issue
Mesothelioma experts from around the world have been urging Altrad to provide £10 million in funding for cancer research, but thus far, the company has rejected the request. Altrad’s chief executive, Ran Oren, failed to attend public hearings in March, and it’s been revealed that the company offered less than one-third of the requested amount, and did so while adding the condition that all victims of the company’s asbestos products cease legal claims and criticism. The Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum rejected that proposal.
To date, mesothelioma victims in Britain have received over £60 million in compensation from Altrad, with another £70 million set aside for future claims. Despite this financial commitment, the parliamentary group argues that government intervention is needed because the company “will not acknowledge its role in widespread harm” and continues to “conceal its involvement.” The company generated £4.5 billion in revenue last year and has secured £1.67 billion in UK public sector contracts since 2012, including major nuclear decommissioning projects.
Mesothelioma Risk Continues in UK Schools and Public Buildings
According to the parliamentary report, mesothelioma is a threat to current students and staff throughout the United Kingdom, with nearly 18,000 school districts in England and Wales still containing asbestos. Though it’s likely an underestimate, the report also says that more than 400 teaching professionals have died from the cancer since 1980, while pupils face daily risk from crumbling ceilings and heating ducts. The National Education Union has called the government’s policy of “managing asbestos in place” ineffective in school environments.
Cape has played a significant role in the placement of asbestos in these settings, and mesothelioma advocates have testified about the company’s decades-long pattern of “corporate denial, suppression of vital health information, and refusal to accept responsibility” despite knowing that exposure to its Asbestolux boards caused cancer. An investigation revealed that Cape minimized reports of cancer risks for decades to protect its profits while those affected have demanded accountability for the company’s role in using asbestos in schools, hospitals, and public buildings.
Asbestos presents the risk of mesothelioma all over the world. If you or someone you love has been sickened by the deadly carcinogen and you need help, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
