In a document released today (12/05), the World Health Organization (WHO) called for urgent action to protect human health from exposure to 10 chemicals, amongst which is asbestos. The WHO says that "in 2004, asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis from occupational exposures resulted in 107,000 deaths and 1,523,000 DALYs," "the sum of years of potential life lost due to premature mortality and the years of productive life lost due to disability."

See WHO release: Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments. For more information see also: WHO documentation on asbestos.

(International Ban Asbestos Secretariat, 12/05/2010)