Health and labor groups in Indonesia are being sued by the asbestos industry after winning a court order for warning labels on products, in a dispute that pits public health advocates against one of the world’s most powerful industrial lobbies.
Anne Barker and Natasya Salim report for ABC News.
In short:
- Indonesia’s Supreme Court mandated asbestos warning labels in 2024, but the Fibre Cement Manufacturers' Association is suing activists for damages, claiming white asbestos is harmless.
- The World Health Organization says chrysotile, or white asbestos, causes multiple cancers, and estimates 1,600 Indonesians die annually from related diseases, with far more cases likely underreported.
- Indonesia imports about 150,000 tonnes of chrysotile each year, and roughly 13% of homes have asbestos roofs, with exposure risks compounded by cracked and discarded materials in residential areas.
Key quote:
"In Australia, workers wear hazmat suits to handle asbestos. Here, workers just relax. Are our lungs stronger? No. The question is — profits at the expense of whose health?"
— Muhammad Darisman, Indonesia's Ban Asbestos Network
Why this matters:
Asbestos remains one of the most lethal industrial materials still in widespread use, despite decades of scientific consensus on its cancer-causing properties. Chrysotile’s durability and low cost keep it popular in developing nations, where safety protections are often minimal and health surveillance is weak. Fibers released from damaged or cut asbestos products can lodge deep in the lungs, triggering disease decades later, making prevention especially challenging. While bans in 73 countries have cut exposure, major producers continue to export to markets with weaker regulations, shifting the health burden to the world’s poorest and least protected communities.
Related: Rethinking asbestos: A look into its bizarre and dangerous history
