First report of asbestos-related diseases in Hong Kong

Abstract

There has been no report of malignant mesothelioma or asbestosis in Hong Kong despite the rapid growth of industry in the past few decades. Three patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma and one patient with asbestosis and small cell carcinoma of the lung are reported. All four patients were Chinese in Hong Kong and had a history of occupational exposure to asbestos. Although there is no mining of asbestos in Hong Kong, her rapid industrialization in the past few decades has led to a large population of asbestos-exposed workers in industry. The average annual consumption of crude asbestos (import minus re-export) has grown ten-fold in the past decade to 1.090 tonnes in 1978-79, and the number of workers handling asbestos products was estimated to be 20.000 in 1979. The problem of asbestos related diseases has however been little considered and further epidemiologic studies are warranted.