At the beginning of the 20th century, asbestos was considered a miracle material. Its versatility and remarkable technical properties — resistance to heat, chemicals, and wear, as well as its insulating qualities — made it popular across many sectors. Adding asbestos to other materials produced stronger and cheaper products.

Thanks to its thermal, acoustic, and electrical insulation capabilities, asbestos was widely used in the production of fireproof doors, corrugated sheets, water pipes, flower boxes, and posts made of asbestos cement.

The fibrous structure of asbestos made it possible to spin, weave, and incorporate it into a wide range of products. It was also used as sprayed insulation on walls and ceilings or as plaster applied around heating pipes.

The asbestos industry in Belgium experienced a real boom, especially in the second half of the 20th century. After the fire at the Innovation department store in Brussels in 1967, asbestos use increased further, as its fire-resistant properties were heavily utilized in construction. Asbestos remained widely used in the building sector until the late 1980s.

You can consult the list of companies that used asbestos here.

From Awareness to the First Bans

Awareness of the dangers of asbestos grew slowly throughout the 20th century. As early as the 1920s, the harmful effects of inhaling asbestos fibers were observed and documented. In 1924, lung diseases caused by asbestos were described for the first time, but it took several more decades before these risks were officially recognized in Belgium. It was not until 1953 that asbestosis — albeit to a limited extent — was included in the list of occupational diseases. Sixteen years later, in 1969, this recognition was expanded, marking a first important step in the official acknowledgment of asbestos hazards.

Paradoxically, at the time when the health effects of asbestos were becoming better known, Belgium saw a peak in asbestos imports between 1970 and 1985. Strong growth in the construction sector maintained a high demand for the material, which was seen as economical and efficient. Faced with this widespread use, authorities began to take action. In 1978, several Royal Decrees banned particularly dangerous forms of asbestos, such as blue asbestos, as well as various industrial applications like paints, varnishes, powders, and asbestos cement products.

The 1980s marked a decisive turning point: public health finally took precedence over economic considerations. In 1982, mesothelioma — a cancer directly linked to asbestos exposure — was recognized as an occupational disease. Four years later, in 1986, new regulations set maximum workplace exposure limits and introduced mandatory labeling for all asbestos-containing products. In 1991, legislation was further strengthened by requiring companies to maintain a detailed inventory of asbestos present in their buildings and facilities.

In the 1990s, Belgium decisively moved toward a total ban. A 1998 law already introduced a near-complete ban on asbestos, with certain exceptions. This process culminated in 2001, when a Royal Decree implemented a general prohibition on the production, use, and marketing of all asbestos-containing products. Only laboratories were allowed to use it, strictly for scientific purposes under tightly controlled conditions.

Finally, in 2005, this ban was extended to the entire European Union, officially ending the use of asbestos in all sectors. This long process, spanning nearly a century, illustrates how slowly recognition of health risks can take hold in the face of economic and industrial interests.

 

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