A leading mesothelioma victims’ group has released some shocking statistics on the illness that make clear the toll that can be taken by the use of asbestos, against the backdrop of news that the mayor of a Canadian town is keen to reopen the town’s asbestos mine to provide the material to overseas customers in countries with less stringent workplace safety laws.

Our mining correspondent notes: “Among the figures released by the Mesothelioma Victims’ Center, one of the most terrifying is that the average mesothelioma victim is diagnosed when they are in their seventies. When the illness is looked at more closely, it tends to be the case that their last contact with asbestos was between three and five decades ago. This makes it a dangerous time bomb.”

Additionally, the long incubation period can lead to the effects of exposure to asbestos being hidden by industry, with the argument being that people working in asbestos-tainted environments in the present day seem healthy. This pushes the problem to the back of some people’s minds, but if the building industry in any nation starts to use more asbestos, the rise in cases is likely to happen not now, but half a century from now.

Our correspondent concludes: “Another startling figure is that every day, three former US Navy veterans are diagnosed with the condition. While the Navy has since taken steps to prevent their sailors from having to come into contact with the material, it demonstrates the very real danger of using materials before they have been safety-checked.”