Coming together to manage Australia’s asbestos legacy
Asbestos is still present in 1 in 3 homes across Australia, as well as in a large number of public and commercial buildings. Managing Australia’s asbestos legacy is a challenge for all levels of government, as well as industry and non government.
The inaugural Asbestos Safety & Management Conference will bring all levels of government and non-government together, in the Blue Mountains in May 2022, to discuss these important challenges.
The event to be held 19-20 May and co-hosted by Blue Mountains City Council and the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, will include a series of plenary sessions, workshops, and networking activities, as well as optional pre-conference activities.
The 2022 theme, Acting together to prevent asbestos exposure, comes as annual asbestos-related deaths continue to rise. Conference co-host and Chief Executive Officer, Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, Ms Justine Ross said the conference is now more important than ever.
“Every year an estimated 4,000 Australians die from asbestos-related diseases. This number is four times higher than the annual road toll,” Ms Ross said.
“We need all levels of government and industry working together to tackle our asbestos legacy. This conference allows our country’s finest asbestos specialists to network, exchange experiences, and develop collaborative plans of action for our future.”
Local governments are known to often bear the brunt of managing the nation’s asbestos problem. This includes managing waste facilities, cleaning up illegal dumping, and dealing with asbestos materials following natural disasters. The conference will have a key focus on addressing these challenges.
Blue Mountains City Council, Dr Rosemary Dillon, said: “We really encourage anyone involved in asbestos management, particularly those on the front line, to join us at the conference and share their stories of how we can improve our current processes.”
With guest speakers to be announced soon, the event will be leading the charge for asbestos management across the nation.
Like many events, the Asbestos Safety & Management Conference has adopted a hybrid approach to allow as many attendees as possible. Delegates can attend the event in person at the Blue Mountains, or livestream the event from homes or the office.
The conference is open to attendees from various industries and will see local, state, and federal governments, removal contractors, regulators, property managers, and non-government organisations come together.
Leading asbestos experts and specialists will come together at the conference to discuss new strategies to prevent Australians from being exposed to asbestos fibres.
“By acting together we can stop further tragic deaths by preventing exposure to asbestos fibres through better management of asbestos in both our built and natural environment,” Ms Ross concluded.
If you would like to learn more about the conference or purchase a ticket, you can head to the conference website: www.asbestosconference.com.au/
Early bird tickets are on sale until 31 March 2022.
