Australia`s Forgotten Asbestos Ghostown

Posted: Jan 02, 2011 |Comments: 0 |

The forgotten ghost town of Wittenoom in Western Australia is today home to about eight residents who still live in the town, and it receives no government, postal services or power from the grid. In June 2007, the town's name was removed from all official maps and road signs.  

So how did this once prosperous town end up as a ghost town? The answer can be summed up in a single word ASBESTOS! When mining began in Wittenoom Gorge. In 1947 a company town was built, and by the 1950s it was the area`s largest town. During the 1950s and early 60's Wittenoom was Australia's only supplier of blue asbestos, the town and mine was shut down in 1966 due to unprofitability and growing health concerns from asbestos mining in the area.

 

Working conditions in the mine were appalling. The miners had  to work in dreadful conditions extracting the deadly blue asbestos which was in very thin layers in the hard rock. And it was twenty years before  mine owners even attempted to drill a ventilation hole from the surface to the mine to supply the miners with fresh air.

Working conditions in the mill were even more dangerous than the mine. The ore from the mine was  taken to the mill for processing by a conveyor belt.  The miners worked in  clouds of asbestos dust for hours on end, when only one minutes exposure to blue asbestos fibres would have been enough to cause lung cancer or mesothelioma.

  

A recent report concluded "that there was a medium to extreme risk for potential tourists who visit the area in and around Wittenoom to be exposed to airborne asbestos dust, which may result in mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer." The Australian Department of Health, who independently reviewed this report, expressed the view "that the exposure and risks identified in the report represent an UNACCEPTABLE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK."

The modern day legacy of this tragedy is that Western Australia has the highest rate of malignant mesothelioma than any State in Australia or anywhere in the world per capita of population.   However at least Australia has finaly banned asbestos use and its manufacture, unlike many other countries in the world who still continue to refuse to ban it.  One of the main reasons that deaths from asbestosis and mesothelioma are rising in the world today is that there are still many countries where asbestos use is perfectly normal and legal.

You can read similar articles about this subject here  http://info4mesothelioma.yolasite.com/latest-news-articles.php  

Questions and Answers

Ask
200 Characters left
Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    Print
    Re-Publish
    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/australias-forgotten-asbestos-ghostown-3956627.html

    Article Tags:

    mesothelioma

    ,

    mesothelioma lawyer

    ,

    mesothelioma attorney

    ,

    mesothelioma pericardial

    ,

    alternative mesothelioma treatment

    ,

    mesothelioma advice

    ,

    cancer law mesothelioma

    ,

    cancer mesothelioma treatment

    ,

    mesothelioma asbestos claim

    ,

    mesothelioma asbestos lawsuit

    ,

    asbestos

    Many people believe that to suffer from the deadly duo of asbestosis or mesothelioma you had to have had direct contact with asbestos products,for example you may have worked in an asbestos factory or used asbestos in construction or building work. However many people are diagnosed with this tragic condition who may have never seen or touched an asbestos product in their life.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Dec 28, 2010

    Most people know Rolf Harris as a popular entertainer and artist, but he is also a passionate supporter of a complete worldwide asbestos ban,and has backed a new Australian anti asbestos website, launched this week in Perth Australia. This is an abridged version of his views as told to Perth Now.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Jan 04, 2011

    Asbestos has been banned in over forty countries around the world, including all twenty five countries in the European Union. But amazingly some countries still refuse to ban asbestos products. One of worlds biggest producers of asbestos even claims that the risks are over-exaggerated because their own scientists have carried out experiments to prove otherwise. To find out which country this is read on.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Jan 03, 2011

    This article is about the shocking crime of asbestos dumping. Read about a GRANDMOTHER who was JAILED and callous crooks who dumped asbestos in a HIGH SCHOOL. Remarkably there are still people in the world who do not realise the deadly dangers of asbestos,or perhaps they do and they just don`t care, as they still continue to dispose of it in a completely reckless fashion. Here are just three recent news stories from around the world.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Dec 28, 2010

    Cancer translational research brings together scientists' and clinicians' suggestions to develop solutions to biomedical complications. This kind of applied research strives to offer strategies to questions surrounding the etiology, pathology, diagnosis, prevention and treating cancer.

    By: Terry Dancerl Health> Cancerl May 30, 2012

    Orbs are actually a lumpectomy or quadrantectomy combined with rotating the breast tissue or mobilize the flap into the cavity of the surgery time fill is removed. It also includes the comparative change in shape and size is doing in relation to breast and moved if necessary, does not affect the conversion of the breast. The deferred plan the reconstruction is not part of endoplasmic techniques. Both procedures are performed by specific thoracic surgeons.

    By: Omer Faroohl Health> Cancerl May 28, 2012

    What every woman fears for is losing her self confidence , losing hope and losing her personality. The term "Breast Cancer" is a very negative word and that it creates negative vibrations in her heart. So, to make her comfortable with the basics of breast cancer and to make her means any woman understand that this type of cancer is the least dangerous than all cancers and that if it is detected early then you will fight with it successfully. Causes, Symptoms, treatment, discussed in detail.

    By: Medha Srikanthl Health> Cancerl May 27, 2012
    Myra Foreman

    Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that originates in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is the protective lining that covers the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma occurs when the mesothelium cells start to divide uncontrollably.

    By: Myra Foremanl Health> Cancerl May 27, 2012

    Chemotherapy is a treatment for killing cancerous cells which is given intravenous or extra-venous to the cancer patient. Even breast cancer patients have to go through the treatment. This treatment mainly focuses on the cancerous cells that are spread in the blood stream in the whole body . If any cancerous cells are there then they are killed by the chemotherapy medicine. The medicine is very costly and it has to be taken for one or two days continuously for every 21 days .

    By: Medha Srikanthl Health> Cancerl May 25, 2012

    Most people know Rolf Harris as a popular entertainer and artist, but he is also a passionate supporter of a complete worldwide asbestos ban,and has backed a new Australian anti asbestos website, launched this week in Perth Australia. This is an abridged version of his views as told to Perth Now.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Jan 04, 2011

    Asbestos has been banned in over forty countries around the world, including all twenty five countries in the European Union. But amazingly some countries still refuse to ban asbestos products. One of worlds biggest producers of asbestos even claims that the risks are over-exaggerated because their own scientists have carried out experiments to prove otherwise. To find out which country this is read on.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Jan 03, 2011

    Many people believe that to suffer from the deadly duo of asbestosis or mesothelioma you had to have had direct contact with asbestos products,for example you may have worked in an asbestos factory or used asbestos in construction or building work. However many people are diagnosed with this tragic condition who may have never seen or touched an asbestos product in their life.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Dec 28, 2010

    This article is about the shocking crime of asbestos dumping. Read about a GRANDMOTHER who was JAILED and callous crooks who dumped asbestos in a HIGH SCHOOL. Remarkably there are still people in the world who do not realise the deadly dangers of asbestos,or perhaps they do and they just don`t care, as they still continue to dispose of it in a completely reckless fashion. Here are just three recent news stories from around the world.

    By: Charity. Faith. Hope.l Health> Cancerl Dec 28, 2010

    Discuss this Article

    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    Quantcast