A report in The Courier Mail, based in Queensland, Australia, says mesothelioma deaths could double in the coming years, as the disease begins to strike end users of asbestos products, like amateur home renovators.

According to the report, the “first wave” of mesothelioma victims were those who mined asbestos, and the second wave affected people who worked with asbestos in factories or manufacturing industries. The next wave, they say, is affecting people who work with asbestos materials, like construction workers.

In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos, which has been used in building materials in Australia for decades, also causes asbestosis and asbestos-related lung cancers.

Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia president Barry Robson is working with government officials for a national approach to education, treatment and compensation for asbestos-related diseases.

Tags: asbestos, asbestos disease, asbestosis, Australia, death, lung cancer, meso, mesothelioma

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