A London Underground worker, Micky Steeds, was unfairly dismissed after whistleblowing about asbestos and hazardous waste exposure. A tribunal found his concerns genuine and his dismissal unfair, prompting him to urge public awareness of tube safety hazards.
Schools, retailers, and government agencies reassured parents that asbestos-contaminated play sand posed a low health risk, relying on an unverified supplier assessment. This messaging spread after recalls in Australia and New Zealand, but independent testing later found 90% of samples released asbestos fibres when played with, prompting updated warnings.
Michael Steeds, ehemaliger Mitarbeiter der Londoner U-Bahn, warnt vor giftigem Staub in den Lüftungs- und Aufzugsschächten. Er wurde entlassen, nachdem er Bedenken hinsichtlich der Asbestgefahr äußerte. Ein Arbeitsgericht bestätigte, dass seine Entlassung unberechtigt war.
The US has escalated tensions with Iran, Donald Trump vowed to hit the country 'hard again tonight.' Australia is still reeling from a nationwide Telstra mobile network outage. In UK politics, Nigel Farage faces Count Binface in a byelection, while New South Wales won the State of Origin decider.
Researchers discovered that colourful children's play sand sold in Australia, previously recalled for asbestos contamination, can release hazardous airborne fibres. A study found 90% of craft sand samples released asbestos when played with, raising concerns for children's health.
Recherchen decken auf, dass die USA auf Grönland ein giftiges Erbe aus radioaktivem Wasser, Asbest und rostigen Ölfässern von früheren Militärbasen hinterlassen haben, während sie gleichzeitig ihren Einfluss auf der Insel verstärken wollen.
A pilot project in South Africa is painting roofs with reflective paint to combat extreme summer heat. Homes with painted roofs are 3-4C cooler, leading to better sleep and improved health outcomes for residents, particularly vulnerable groups.
An investigation found five children's toys sold in Britain contain asbestos, a banned substance linked to cancer. Similar items were previously recalled in the Netherlands, highlighting regulatory gaps post-Brexit. Retailers and officials are responding to the findings.
Two Crayola craft boxes for children have been recalled over concerns the sand inside may be contaminated with asbestos. The Touchy Feely Craft Box (sold as Sensory Craft Box) and Discovery Craft Box, made in China and sold by Argos, Asda, Sainsbury's and The Works between March 2025 and April 2026, pose a health risk. Owners should stop use immediately and follow safety disposal guidance.
A survey by the National Association of Head Teachers finds 50% of headteachers say parts of their schools are out of use or unfit for purpose due to leaks, damp, mould, asbestos and ageing infrastructure. Almost three-quarters (73%) report toilet blocks that are closed or not fit for purpose, while 41% say SEND facilities are unsuitable. The National Audit Office estimates £14bn is needed to restore school buildings in England to satisfactory condition, with 96% of respondents saying they received insufficient capital funding. The government has committed to almost £3bn per year over the next decade through a new 10-year estates strategy.
More than 30 children's toys have been recalled in the UK after the Guardian revealed that play sand sold by Hobbycraft was contaminated with asbestos. Products including craft kits and rubber toys from retailers including Tesco, Primark, Matalan and M&S were found to contain the substance, which can cause cancer if inhaled. The affected products contain sand from mines in China where asbestos fibres can occur naturally. The consumer group Which? described the recalls as pointing to a serious failure in safety checks.
Rick Oakes, from York, died from an asbestos-related cancer linked to his work for Kirklees Council.
The family of a former Kirklees Council joiner who died from mesothelioma cancer caused by asbestos exposure has received over £1m in compensation. Rick, a dad-of-four from Heckmondwike, was exposed to asbestos while working in schools across Kirklees. Kirklees Council accepted a breach of duty. His widow Rachel, 51, has raised over £20,000 for charities and wants to warn others about asbestos dangers in public buildings.
Unwanted vessels left to decay release fibreglass shards into the water, harming marine life. Steve Green – with his trusty van Cecil – is determined to clean things upSteve Green, a boat engineer from Cornwall, was pulled over by the police just before Christmas. He was driving a decrepit-looking VW campervan and towing an even more dilapidated yacht up to Truro. He hadn’t broken any laws, but he admits that Cecil the campervan, which runs on donated chip oil from local pubs and has a crane and a winch on the front, “wasn’t quite what VW intended”.Green (and Cecil) are on a mission to rid the beautiful hidden creeks of Cornwall’s Helford and Fal rivers of 166 abandoned fibreglass yachts, which are leaking plastic and toxins into the predominantly marine waters. Marine biologists have likened the thousands of shards of fibreglass they have found embedded in the flesh of sea-creatures in areas with wrecks such as these to asbestos, a substance known to have a noxious effect on humans.Green uses a detachable crane system at the front of his van to move around bags of plastic after they have been weighed. Cecil is upholstered in recycled denim Continue reading...
