Dutch asbestos company Eternit faces manslaughter charges over worker deaths

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has formally charged the asbestos company Eternit in Goor with manslaughter and negligent homicide in connection with the deaths of three people exposed to asbestos fibers, the OM announced Tuesday.

The decision to prosecute Eternit comes after a years-long criminal investigation triggered by a 2019 complaint filed by the Comité Asbestslachtoffers, an organization representing victims of asbestos-related diseases. The investigation, described by police as “one of the largest cold cases ever,” took nearly five years to complete due to its complex legal and factual nature.

The OM holds Eternit responsible for the deaths of two former employees who worked for many years at Eternit’s sites and were repeatedly exposed to asbestos fibers. Additionally, the company is held accountable for the death of the partner of one of these employees, who contracted fatal asbestos-related disease through contaminated work clothing brought home.

The OM said in its statement that Eternit knowingly and deliberately exposed employees and others to a dangerous working environment, violating its duty of care and exposing workers to serious health risks. “These facts and the conclusions from the investigation make prosecution appropriate,” the OM said.

The OM emphasized the grave responsibility companies have when handling hazardous substances such as asbestos. Dutch law requires employers to protect workers’ health and minimize risks.

Asbestos fibers, when inhaled, penetrate deep into the lungs and can cause fatal diseases over time, including mesothelioma (pleural cancer), peritoneal cancer, and asbestosis (lung fibrosis).

The OM’s move was welcomed by family members of the victims, who have sought justice for years. The Comité Asbestslachtoffers filed the original complaint on behalf of six surviving relatives of nine former Eternit workers who died from asbestos exposure.