DIY Renovations Tied to 51% Mesothelioma Deaths

MEDIA RELEASE: 5 NOVEMBER 2025

With around 4,000 Australians dying from an asbestos-related disease annually, (more than twice the national road toll), and the death toll continuing to rise, National Asbestos Awareness Month (November) aims to save lives by alerting Australians to the dangers of asbestos that lurks in 1-in-3 Aussie homes.

Conducted by the Asbestos Education Committee, the annual national campaign educates Australians about the ongoing dangers of legacy asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that can remain in any home built before 1990 by providing free tools and resources at asbestosawareness.com.au.

If sealed and in good, stable condition ACMs don't pose a health risk. However, if disturbed during demolition, renovation or maintenance; and asbestos fibres are released and can be inhaled, those exposed can develop deadly diseases including malignant mesothelioma (there is no cure), lung cancer and asbestosis.

With evidence suggesting asbestos exposure is also linked to ovarian and laryngeal (voice box) cancers and increased risk of breast, stomach and colon cancers; only through increased awareness and providing free practical education tools to help identify and manage asbestos safely, will we prevent asbestos-related deaths.

Cherie Barber, Australia's Renovation Queen™ and an Asbestos Awareness Ambassador for 12 years said, "Homeowners, renovators and tradies who fail to manage ACMs safely, not only risk exposing themselves to the deadly microscopic fibres, but can expose family members, children and neighbours.

"There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres, but there are tools and rules homeowners and tradies should follow to ensure ACMs are managed safely to protect themselves and their loved ones.

"They should start by visiting asbestosawareness.com.au to find out what they need to know and if a home was built before 1990, have it inspected by a licenced asbestos assessor or occupational hygienist to identify potential hazards and they should only use licenced asbestos removalists because it's not worth the risk!"

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Safe Work Australia's Mesothelioma in Australia 2024 report (29 August 2025), over the past 40 years the number of cases of mesothelioma has continued to steadily increase so awareness of the risks of exposure is essential to saving lives.

The report comprising cases of mesothelioma (reported up until 1 May 2025), noted that more than 9 in 10 people who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma and completed an Australian Mesothelioma Registry (AMR) exposure assessment, were assessed as having a history of possible or probable exposure to asbestos.

The AMR noted that while men have historically been more likely than women to be diagnosed with mesothelioma due to occupational exposure in trades, 94% (1,323 of 1,409) of respondents who completed the questionnaire reported non-occupational exposure.

89% of mesothelioma patients (1,176) reported 'possible or probable asbestos exposure' in non-occupational settings. Of these, 51% were exposed during major home renovations involving asbestos, 38% from living in a house while renovations were underway, 13% from residing in a fibro home built between 1947 and 1987, and 21% from living with someone occupationally exposed who brought asbestos dust into the home.

Clare Collins, Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee and campaign director since 2011 said, "Because Australia was one of the highest consumers of ACMs, twenty-two years after the national ban on asbestos came into force (Dec 2003), Australia continues to record one of the highest incidences of mesothelioma in the world.

"Tragic cases of relatively young people being diagnosed with mesothelioma continue to be recorded because of exposure to fibres as children when their parents built homes using ACMs unaware of the risks," she said.

"With the Australian Government's First Home Guarantee Scheme expanding from 1 October 2025, considering property price caps, if young first homebuyers who are oblivious to asbestos risks purchase an older home requiring renovation, it's vital they learn about asbestos risks and how to manage ACMs safely," she said.

Ms Barber said, "Asbestos wasn't just used in sheeting in the construction of fibro homes. Asbestos was used extensively in the manufacture of more than 3000 building and decorator products that can still be found in any brick, fibro, weatherboard, clad home or apartment built before 1990.

"Asbestos can lurk under floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, home extensions, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels. It was used everywhere!"

"Although in some states homeowners are permitted to remove up to ten square metres of bonded non-friable ACMs, people should avoid unnecessary asbestos risks and only use licenced asbestos professionals because the cost to homeowners, tradies and their families could be far greater if they're exposed to the deadly fibres."

"The message we want homeowners and tradies to hear is what NOT to do with asbestos! Don't cut it! Don't drill it! Don't drop it! Don't sand it! Don't saw it! Don't scrape it! Don't scrub it! Don't dismantle it! Don't tip it! Don't waterblast it! Don't demolish it! Don't dump it! And whatever they do...they should NEVER remove it themselves!" Ms Barber said.

Since 2011, Australia's multi award-winning Asbestos Awareness campaign has been dedicated to saving lives by alerting renovators, property investors, managers and tradies to the asbestos risks and providing effective tools and information resources to ensure potentially hazardous asbestos materials are managed safely.

asbestosawareness.com.au is the world's most comprehensive website for user-friendly information on identifying and managing ACMs with dedicated resources for renovators, investors and tradies including Asbestos in Homes: A Guide to Identification, Testing and Removal video; Asbestos 101 for Residential Property Owners, Managers and Tradies; Asbestos in Your Home – The Ultimate Renovators Guide video, Asbestos Awareness Residential Property Checklist – A Homeowner's Guide to Identifying Asbestos-Containing Materials; Factsheets for homeowners and tradies, Trade-specific guides; Asbestos Products Database; Asbestos in Commercial Properties and Naturally Occurring Asbestos guidelines.

To help save lives, in 2025 the Asbestos Education Committee continues the National Asbestos Awareness Month campaign and its long-standing leadership role of providing world-first, user-friendly and freely accessible education resources at asbestosawareness.com.au for anyone who might risk disturbing ACMs including homeowners, renovators, landlords, tradies, commercial property and regional property owners and managers.