A New Zealand newspaper has quoted a local medical officer who said there was no danger in drinking small quantities of asbestos fibres from water pipes made from asbestos.
The same medical officer said that it was the inhalation of asbestos that could cause asbestos conditions, such as mesothelioma.
There have been compensation cases in Australia when a person who cut asbestos cement pipes inhaled asbestos, contributing to that persons condition of mesothelioma.
A New South Wales asbestos crackdown by the EPA has resulted in a number of companies being identified as failing to adhere to strict asbestos disposal laws.
In particular, 3 companies in Coffs Harbour, NSW, found asbestos had been disposed of incorrectly.
Given asbestos inhalation can result in asbestos diseases, such as pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma, safe disposal of asbestos is critical.
In the past there have been asbestos compensation claims made in New South Wales in respect to asbestos not being disposed properly.
A 12 May 2012 article by the Geelong Advertiser reports of an “asbestos dumping ground” being found in this Victorian city.
A beach located in Geelong, Victoria is littered with pieces of asbestos, which are broken up and in a poor state.
If the asbestos fibres become airborne, the inhalation of such fibres can be dangerous. Mesothelioma can be caused by small amount of the inhalation of asbestos.
There have been a number of mesothelioma compensation claims in Victoria from a person being exposed to small amounts of asbestos.
Mesothelioma compensation in New South Wales was dealt a blow on 14 May 2012 when the NSW Government refused to adopt the recommendations of the New South Wales Law Reform Commission.
The Commission had recommended the removal of a defence that allowed Defendants such as James Hardie to off set or reduce asbestos compensation payments to widows in dependency claims.
Further, the Commission had recommended pain and suffering compensation survive if asbestos court proceedings were commenced within 12 months of a person dying from an asbestos condition such as mesothelioma.
Asbestos and mesothelioma compensation claims in South Australia, and asbestos and mesothelioma compensation claims in Victoria, do not allow a Defendant to put up the Defence to a claim that results in an offset to a dependency asbestos claim.
It is hoped the New South Wales Government will sit down with representatives of James Hardie to try and nut out a new deal to ensure asbestos compensation reforms are made to assist those affected by asbestos conditions.
