Australian Blue Asbestos

Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Ltd. (ABA) was a company founded by Lang Hancock, operated between the years (1938 - 1966) responsible for the mining, bagging and distribution of blue asbestos or crocidolite, in Wittenoom, in northern Western Australia. The operation was a subsidiary of the Commonwealth Sugar Refineries company, CSR Limited in 1943.

Due to litigation brought about by workers about the effects of inhalation of airborne fibres of blue asbestos, eventually after many years, the company was shut down in 1966. The company it was alleged, was negligent in its behaviour with respect to the workers, families and residents of Wittenoom.^[1]

It is alleged, that ABA knowingly allowed the processing of asbestos to continue even though the dangers of asbestos fibre inhalation were known as early as 1926. The dangers had been described and explained to the management as well as being the subject of a medical journal article. The result was illness and in most cases death, due to Asbestosis, Mesothelioma and other lung diseases.^[1] The subject of the disregard for asbestos miners health and lack of compensation was referenced in the song Blue Sky Mine on the Album Blue Sky Mining by Midnight Oil.

The company was purchased from CSR Limited by James Hardie industries and has now moved to the Netherlands in an effort to divorce itself from the asbestos crisis.^{[citation needed]} Presently, the subject of worker's compensation for workers, wives and offspring of residents of Wittenoom, it continues to be a big issue for the James Hardie company, who have not moved any further on the compensation case.^{[citation needed]}

References

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