SCARY...

Asbestos was banned in Australia two decades ago, but there remains more than six million tonnes of the dangerous material in buildings across the country. Experts say the asbestos is deteriorating, increasing the chance of exposure and putting lives at risk. The cost of removal remains a barrier to the disposal of asbestos, and advocates are pushing for a streamlined approach to making it easy, safe and affordable to remove.

Although the numbers had been expected to drop, about 4000 people still die each year in Australia from asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and asbestos-related lung cancer. That's about three times the national road toll.

Asbestos-related diseases account for the highest number of work-related deaths, but exposure outside of the workplace is also a concern. There has also been an increase of cases among people who've been renovating old homes, without bringing in licensed asbestos removalists.

Scary...

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

INDUSTRY

A light industry area a few blocks down from our house. Always looks rather melancholy at twilight.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme.

INDUSTRIAL AREA

Industrial area in Fairfield, an inner suburb.

This post is part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,
and also part of the Monday Murals meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme.

INDUSTRIAL

A light industrial area in Fairfield, an inner Melbourne suburb, at the weekend. It is quite eerie walking down these deserted streets with only a few papers blown by the wind littering the streets.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Weekend Reflections meme.

FAIRFIELD INDUSTRIAL AREA

Although Fairfield is a predominantly residential inner city suburb, it does have a small north-eastern pocket, which remains a light industrial area. This is a vestige of the suburb's initial blue-collar roots, now having become thoroughly gentrified on the main.

These photos are from this light industrial area, where I discovered the graffiti shown."Wild Child Artist" commemorating a 20-year anniversary (1988-2008) is particularly prominent. Also illustrated in the mural is A Melbourne public transport train on the Hurstbridge line, which goes through Fairfield.

This post is part of the Monday Murals meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme.