The onset of the 20^th century saw hectic building activity at construction sites, ship yards, rail yards. Asbestos fibers were used as a major component and its production was also stepped up to meet the ever increasing demand. Mankind got exposed to asbestos in its early years of development and very soon, incidents of lung cancer also came to be reported. However, the condition of mesothelioma is believed to have its origins at places where wastes from mine extraction containing a lot of asbestos fibers were used as dumping material to envelop playgrounds and other open spaces. It was around this time that people who had practically no chance of getting exposed to asbestos fibers started developing symptoms of this disease. Though many officials were aware of the potential dangerous effects of asbestos mining much earlier, the activity continued and was formally brought to a close only in 1966.

During those times, mines were permitted to operate without basic safeguards and the concept of hygienic and safe work practices were relatively unknown. Due to this lack of adequate safety nets, many workmen began experiencing symptoms of mesothelioma on a yearly basis. What was more worrying was the fact that many cases that were diagnosed were of people who got it through the secondary route, having not been exposed to asbestos directly.

Mesothelioma saw its first case at an Australian mine and that worker had been working in that mine for about three years. Things then began to deteriorate rapidly as people inhabiting the town where asbestos mining was being carried out started exhibiting symptoms and this continued well into the 1970s, when the Australian Government took a long pending decision to shut it down. Unfortunately, the damage had been done and many people had fallen prey to this dangerous disease.

The tragedy just highlights the fact that if proper safeguards in the working environment had been implemented at that time, history would have had a different story to tell.

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