World Day of Asbestos Victims

Asbestos causes more than 100,000 deaths each year, of which more than 6,000 in Italy alone due to asbestos disease: asbestosis, lung cancer (eternit cancer), mesothelioma (asbestos tumor), asbestos tumors, and all asbestos diseases.

The Lawyer Ezio Bonanni, pioneer of the defense of asbestos victims (synonymous with asbestos) in Italy, has published The White Book of Asbestos Deaths in Italy, which can be consulted free of charge, which has published updated epidemiological data, as already anticipated by the II Report Mesotheliomas published by the UN, and as confirmed by INAIL in the Mesothelioma VI Report, published in October 2018.

Since 2011, the "Victim Fund for Asbestos" has been operational, instituted by INAIL under Law no. 244/2007 (the so-called Welfare protocol), which is fed by an additional payment paid by employers on the premiums due to Inail.

The Asbestos Victim Fund Committee since 2014 has requested a support intervention with a one-time allowance for civil or non-professional patients.

The Ministerial Decree of 18 December 2018 of the Minister of Labor and Social Policies, in consultation with the Minister of Economy and Finance, established the additional provision of the Fund for victims of asbestos, relating to the year 2018, to the extent total equal to 20% of the perceived INAIL income.

But who are the civil or non-professional patients, victims of asbestos?

These are the people who have breathed the deadly asbestos dust "without any fault", but only because they live in areas adjacent to companies with production processes related to asbestos, or near structures containing deteriorated asbestos cement. or, worse still, because they are family members of workers who are "impregnated" with asbestos. Unfortunately, for them, nothing is required by the current legislation on the subject of social protection and prevention!

For more information on this important topic, visit the websites of

• AIEA - Associazione Italiana Eposti Amianto
• AFEVA - Associazione Familiari Vittime dell'Amianto
• Osservatorio amianto
• Sportello nazionale amianto
• Ministero del lavoro e delle politiche sociali - Fondo per le vittime dell'amianto
• INAIL - Tutela delle vittime per esposizione amianto non professionale
• Comitato parmanente ex esposti amianto
• Avv. Ezio Bonanni