Australian shows such as The Block and Better Homes and Gardens are being blamed for fuelling the new do-it-yourself obsession that is believed to be causing the next wave of asbestos victims. A tragic result of this new trend is the increasing number of women renovators being diagnosed with mesothelioma and this figure is only expected to rise within the next 40 years.
While these shows have created the DIY craze, they have failed to warn the public that asbestos is likely to be present in most homes built before the early 1980s. This new craze has seen mesothelioma move away from mainly affecting asbestos miners and tradesman as it has in the past. Now, home renovators are at a risk of contracting asbestos related diseases including mesothelioma and asbestosis, the new asbestos campaign aims to focus on these dangers.
Australia suffers from one of the highest rates of asbestos-related diseases in the world as a result of being a heavy user of asbestos before its nationwide ban in December 2003. As a result many Australian States including NSW, Victoria and South Australia have legislation in place to assist those perusing an asbestos compensation claim including both asbestosis compensation in Australia and mesothelioma compensation in Australia. The Sydney Opera House was illuminated blue on the 26th November to honour the many victims of asbestos as part of National Asbestos Awareness Week.
