Meeting draws comparisons to Asian asbestos factories

A worker in Pakistan using a power saw to cut asbestos.

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

The mistakes made at Turners Asbestos factory in Rochdale, once the world's largest asbestos factory, are being repeated today at factories in India and Pakistan - that was the message at a meeting between asbestos experts held at the town hall this week.

More than two decades after the Spodden Valley factory closed down, Rochdale residents are still feeling the effects, with more and more former employees diagnosed with asbestos related cancer each year.

Now, photographs are emerging from factories in Asia that replicate scenes at Turners, and show that asbestos continues to threaten lives.

One of the photographs in the gallery with this news story shows a worker in Pakistan using a power saw to cut asbestos. A cloth covering his mouth and a fan to blow some dust away is all he has for protection. Children are watching nearby. 

Save Spodden Valley co-ordinator Jason Addy, who organised Wednesday's meeting, said: "This image haunts me. This was a scene often seen 50 years ago in Britain - and we are paying the price today with a shocking deathtoll of asbestos cancer. The images are stark and say more about the need for action in Asia than a thousand words.

"The 21st century photos juxtapose well with the image of Rochdale TBA worker May Charleson - pictured in TBA promotional material decades ago. Before the photo was taken she was ordered to sweep up. She died of the asbestos cancer mesothelioma three years ago. Is this history repeating itself?

"The Town Hall meeting was very poignant in showing how there are such close bonds between Rochdale, Australia and Pakistan because of asbestos. The products, the workers and the decisions made still continue to threaten lives.

"It was very welcome that representatives from all three political parties attended and contributed to a successful and important evening."

Speaking at the meeting were Laurie Kazan Allen and Dr Greg Deleuil, who were recently at an Asian ban asbestos conference in Hong Kong.

Dr Greg Deleuil is the medical adviser to the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ADSA) in Perth, Western Australia - and someone who has been interviewed by Rochdale Online in the past.

Laurie Kazan Allen heads the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat and joined Jason Addy in meeting Gordon Brown earlier this month. She has strong concerns about the current Spodden Valley planning application and is an expert on Turner & Newall and the products and decsions that were made in Rochdale decades ago.

Her concern is that history could repeat itself and lives remain blighted by asbestos disease into the 22nd century.

Her books - "Killing the Future" and "India's Asbestos Timebomb"- are to be presented to Rochdale Library Service for free use.

The meeting also remembered the late Abdul Chowdry was also for his campaigning work, and made note of his permanent memorial in the asbestos section beside the Memorial Gardens.