Can the SZW Inspectorate make serious asbestos violations public? Is the transport of drinking water through asbestos pipes a public health hazard?
How much are the costs of each new asbestos victim in terms of production loss and medical expenses? These are three questions that are all about asbestos. In addition, they have one aspect in common: the answer to the question can be found in the current IAS newsletter.
This is already the fiftieth IAS newsletter. This is worthy of congratulations, especially to the address of editor Simone Aarendonk who has provided the newsletter all these times. It is also nice for the subscribers who receive an update every quarter about what is happening in the wide world around asbestos.
The newsletter pays attention to events in the medical, epidemiological, legal and political fields. Comments are given on the last decision of the Supreme Court. Reports are made of experiences with experimental medicines. Attention is drawn to the dangers of doing your own home in Australia or there is attention for a real estate agent in Wassenaar who refers to illegal remediation at home.
The world of asbestos is richly varied, but always violent. There are scandals and casualties, hope and fear. In the past, a lot of money was earned on asbestos because it was such a great product. Nowadays people make money with asbestos because it is such a dangerous material: the remedial, the lawyer, the doctor or the information officer.
The fiftieth newsletter is not the only milestone that is reached these days. Last week there was the tenth 'asbestos fact conference'. Two weeks ago the Asbestos Victim Association Netherlands organized AVN's fourth lustrum. Along with the fact that last year a record number of people had reported to the IAS for compensation, these are signs that asbestos remains a very topical issue. The world of people who have to deal with asbestos as a professional or as a victim / survivor is on the move. The purpose of the IAS newsletter is to provide all those involved with background information.
Can anything be improved on the newsletter? Last summer the newsletter was extensively discussed at the personnel consultation of the institute. The IAS newsletter contains a lot of information, as was found, but it was already largely on the IAS website. For people who do not visit the IAS website on a weekly basis, however, it is a useful update of the most important news. The design may be more contemporary. In a modern way, the reader can be invited to take knowledge of the news. The newsletter will gradually get a new look.
It is also good to hear your opinion as a reader. You may have a different opinion about the newsletter or you have specific wishes about the content. We would like to hear those from you by sending an e-mail to the address below or to the editors . In this way, the newsletter can also play a useful role in the coming fifty editions.
To what insight do these facts about asbestos diseases lead? The severity of asbestos disease and the risk of asbestos should not be trivialized. Exposure to asbestos must in any case be prevented. Every asbestos disease is one too many.
However, the seriousness of the asbestos problem may not lead to people who have nevertheless been exposed to preparing themselves for the worst. There is already enough misery as a result of asbestos. The fear after exposure must therefore be reduced to real proportions.
The Institute for Asbestos Victims (IAS) advises the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) on the right to an allowance of € 20.355 for asbestos victims with the disease mesothelioma or asbestosis. In addition, the IAS mediates between (former) employers and (former) employees about the payment of compensation. The standard amount of the compensation is € 64,522. Since its founding in 1999, more than 8000 asbestos victims have been able to find the IAS.
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