A Former Asbestos Mining Town is So Toxic It’s Illegal to Be There
Social media posts can create controversy because someone (probably a celebrity) writes something controversial, insulting, or especially stupid. Recently, Australian government officials publicly criticized a photographer for posting photos of a place that’s legally off-limits and highly dangerous – a former asbestos mine where thousands used to work.
It is illegal to visit Wittenoom, Western Australia, about 870 miles north of Perth, because it is a giant, asbestos-infested mining waste dump. It’s the former site of a mine that dug up crocidolite asbestos (known as blue asbestos) deposits. Asbestos-containing waste was piled up outside the mine and was widely present in the town. The fibers were also processed and bagged in the now-ghost town.
The Town’s Main Employer Poisoned the Area
Wittenoom is the southern hemisphere’s largest toxic waste site. The government waste management area covers about 177 square miles. The town was partially cleaned up, with the remaining buildings demolished and waste buried. However, Australian government officials claim a total clean-up of the mine and surrounding area is technically impossible, and if it could be done, the cost would be prohibitive.
Roads leading into the former town of 22,000 residents (with 9,000 working in the mine or processing the asbestos) are blocked, and signs warn people not to enter. But the area is a desert, and someone motivated enough to get into Wittenoom and the mine can do so.
The problem isn’t just the amount of asbestos on the ground and the fibers that freely blow in the air and float in nearby rivers, it’s the fact that they’re crocidolite fibers. Crocidolite fibers are considered the most dangerous kind of asbestos because they’re straight and sharp, which makes them easier to lodge in a person’s body, unlike other types that are more curved. Asbestos fibers in the body can eventually lead to different cancers, including mesothelioma.
Asbestos mining started in the area in the 1930s. The Wittenoom mine produced more than 165,000 tons of crocidolite from 1943 to 1966, when it closed. Due to asbestos health dangers, the area started shutting down in the 1970s.
Power and water to the town were cut off in 2007, but a few residents hung on until last year. It’s estimated more than 2,000 residents died due to asbestos-related diseases, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Photographer Risks Deadly Asbestos-Related Diseases to Take Photos
In March, photos of the Wittenoom mine appeared on social media accounts, ABC reports. Dale Hawkins said he took them in 2021 when it was legal to enter the area. The Wittenoom Closure Bill became provincial law in March 2022.
Hawkins said despite the asbestos hazard warnings, he thought the chances of harm were fairly low and wore personal protective equipment. In an interview with a local radio station, Hawkins said he thought the greater risk he ran was going inside the mine, which is long and dark. If he became lost, no one would come to rescue him. Hawkins claimed he didn’t fully realize the asbestos risks until after he left the area.
Wearing a mask and protective gear didn’t prevent Hawkins from exposure because asbestos fibers would be on them. When he removed them, fibers would go into the air, where he would inhale or swallow them.
After the photos became public, the Western Australia Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage said it could criminally prosecute people going to the area. A statement from the agency states, “We cannot be any clearer, it is not safe to visit Wittenoom at any time due to asbestos contamination.”
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Those suffering from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness may be entitled to compensation. To discuss your situation and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our Louisville office toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.