For many Australians, the mere mention of asbestos is enough to evoke images of tragedy and suffering. In the early 1900s it was a common material in homes, furnishings, and machinery. Houses built in the 1940s-1960s were predominantly constructed with asbestos roofing, where fibres were mixed with cement to give it its shape. Because of its durability, affordability and insulative properties, usage was widespread in the first half of the 20th century

It wasn’t until the 1970s that there was any awareness of asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma or asbestosis (cancer and lung scarring respectively), both of which can cause severe respiratory distress and death.

Today Indonesia is the world’s second largest importer. Asbestos manufacturing occurs nation-wide, and there exists no outright prohibition on usage.

Usage of the mineral is extremely common, especially in the form of roofing (comprising approximately 90 per cent of asbestos manufacturing). 50 per cent of the buildings in Jakarta are estimated to contain white asbestos, whereas across the country the rate is thought to be 10 per cent. And usage will likely escalate as industrial lobbyists attempt to expand the market.