Armley asbestos disaster
The contamination was the result of the activities of a local asbestos factory, part of the Turner & Newall (T&N) group (often referred to by the name of its founders, J. W. Roberts Ltd.) and occurred between the end of the 19th century and 1959 when the factory eventually closed. At its peak the factory had 250 employees. At least 300 former employees are believed to have died from asbestos-related illnesses, and a number of cancer deaths in the Armley area were traced to the factory in 1988 as a result of an investigation by the "Yorkshire Evening Post". The estate was found to have the highest incidence in the country of mesothelioma. As the interval between exposure and diagnosis can be up to 50 years the number of further deaths which may occur due to the factory's emissions or residual dust since its closure cannot be predicted.
Mr Fluffy
Prompted by growing public concern about the hazards of asbestos in general and Mr Fluffy's product, a Commonwealth audit in 1988 identified most of the homes in the ACT containing the insulation. A clean-up program was conducted by the new ACT Government between 1989 and 1993 and was thought to have fixed the problem in those homes identified in the audit, but residual asbestos has since been found in some houses. This led to the creation of a community action group by affected homeowners that campaigned for a shift in policy concerning the future of their residences.