Bad Dust - by Tom White (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Though it was banned in the UK in 1999, asbestos still kills more than 5,000 people every year. How did this happen? And what can we do about it?

Asbestos was once known as the "magic mineral." Cheap, versatile, and tough, it was used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products, from fireproofing spray on warships, to insulation panels in high-rise towers, to tablecloths and ironing board covers. But from the dawn of the industry in the late 1800s, it was apparent that asbestos dust was particularly harmful to workers' lungs. Later, it became clear that even trivial exposure can cause incurable cancers.

Bad Dust traces a history of the asbestos disaster and shows how the material became so deeply interwoven with the functions of the British state. The first half of the book examines the mining of the mineral in apartheid South Africa, its manufacturing in the North of England, and its use on the shipyards and building sites of Glasgow. The second half of the book then explores the development of a coherent anti-asbestos movement from the late 1970s. Arrayed against a powerful industry, and against parts of the trade union movement, anti-asbestos groups fought for a ban on the material.

Asbestos was used extensively in schools, hospitals, and housing built in the post-war period. The banning of the material twenty-five years ago was not accompanied by a coordinated removal programme--much of it remains in place, slowing degrading and placing us all at risk. Far from a problem solved, Bad Dust shows that the asbestos disaster has really only just begun.

Review Quotes

"In bringing asbestos out from behind the walls and ceilings where it lurks, and into the light, this highly original and disturbing book reveals an industrial disaster hiding in plain sight."
- Polly Smythe, Novara Media

"Bad Dust provides a shocking exposé of the asbestos industry and its apologists; a stirring record of the activism supporting its victims; an urgent call to action to save future lives. A must-read."
- John Boughton, author of Municipal Dreams

"An intricate, empathetic study, Tom White shows how the asbestos industry was created by the machinery of racial capitalism."
- Times Literary Supplement

"An informative and highly readable exposure of the asbestos industry."
- Morning Star

"If this meticulously researched book helps raise awareness and encourage more grassroots campaigning, the government might yet be forced to acknowledge the ongoing scale of the disaster and do something about it."
- Labour Hub

"Bad Dust has earned its place on the bookshelf of anyone interested not only in the history of the asbestos tragedy but also in the unending struggle for a sustainable future, corporate accountability and environmental justice."
- Laurie Kazan-Allen, International Ban Asbestos Secretariat

About the Author

Tom White is a writer and further education worker. He writes about politics, art, education, and rugby league.