Italy has the highest number of deaths in the EU from mesothelioma, a type of cancer linked to exposure to asbestos, ANSA reports citing 2021 figures issued by Eurostat.
In 2021, the EU recorded 2,380 preventable deaths from mesothelioma, which develops in the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs, known as the mesothelium.
Symptoms of mesothelioma tend to develop gradually over time.
They typically do not appear until several decades after exposure to asbestos.
The number of deaths has been steadily decreasing since 2013, when it stood at 3,341 (-961 deaths).
At a national level, Italy recorded the highest number of deaths from mesothelioma (518), followed by Germany (400) and France (329).
The lowest numbers were in Cyprus and Estonia (2).
Italy has seen a number of court cases over asbestos-related factory worker deaths in recent years.
