Asbestos lawyer welcomes fund-raising campaign to bring a legal challenge to force the clean-up of an Indian asbestos dump
The toxic impact that asbestos has in developing countries cannot be underestimated
Posted on 25 October 2018
Asbestos lawyer Harminder Bains will be chairing a discussion panel following the UK premier of Breathless, an award-winning documentary that looks at the devastating impact of asbestos in developing countries.
The discussion panel will consist of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights & Hazardous Substances & Waste, Baskut Tuncak, Eric Jonckheere, whose mother, father and two brothers died from mesothelioma, Daniel Lambo, director of Breathless, and barrister Krishnendu Mukherjer of Doughty Street Chambers.
The screening of Breathless will take place on Saturday 27th October at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, London from 4 pm.
Trailer for the movie.
A Belgian charity, Belgium Asbestos Victims’ Trust (ABEVA) and the Kymore Victim’s Trust have also launched a fund-raising campaign to clean up an Indian asbestos dump which is featured in the film which shows children playing in the asbestos dump, unaware that exposure to the asbestos could have potentially lethal consequences.
Harminder, whose father died of mesothelioma said:
“This is a shocking film which shows that Victorian-style living and working conditions that have disappeared in the UK are still prevalent in developing countries as asbestos companies exploit the lack of strong regulation and monitoring that we take for granted.
“I applaud the film makers for their bravery in exposing how the lives of men, women and children are being put at risk by this deadly substance.”