Éric Jonckheere, the defender of rights of asbestos victims is no more but his legacy remains

Message from Dr. Gopal Krishna, Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI)

Eric Jonckheere was an activist, pilot, and author.  He was the author of the book Asbestos:My War with the Devil's Dust. He had donated his books to Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) "in order to promote awareness and good health in regard to asbestos exposures." I learnt about him and his work from Dr. Barry Castleman, the author of Asbestos: Medical and Legal Aspects. I was introduced to Eric and his work exposing claims of "controlled use" of asbestos by him. 

 

The book is his memoir. The book is a call to action for global action to ban asbestos. The book is about Jonckheere's family's experience with asbestos and the loss of his parents and two brothers to environmental exposure. The book also gives a voice to families who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. The book includes a foreword by Jonckheere's mother, Francoise Jonckheere, who was a founding member of the Association of Asbestos Victims in Belgium (ABEVA). Eric’s mother would refuse a 40,000 € settlement offer from the beneficial owners of Eternit. The book was released on April 28, 2022. In 2018, he had received the ADAO Alan Reinstein Memorial Award for his advocacy work to ban asbestos. 

 

Both Eric and I had struggled to get the books cleared from the Customs. We had exchanged notes with DHL Brussels and DHL India. I had to assure the Superintendent of Customs, New Courier Terminal, IGI Airport, New Delhi that "the consignment in question is some complimentary books on environmental health." He had written to them saying, "I, Eric Jonckheere, author of the book "My war with the devil's dust ", and president of ABEVA is donating his work/books to Gopal Krishna in order to promote awarness and good health in regard to asbestos exposures."

Eric's book narrates the story of betrayal by the beneficial owners of Eternit factory. How they allowed the ‘devil’s dust’ to enter homes and human bodies. Eric’s father, Pierre Jonckheere used to work at the factory but “overalls continued to be taken back to the thatched cottages and washed by housewives unaware of the dangers to which they and their children were exposed.” Children played in the contaminated area...and the dust billowed in the wind.” Eric’s mother and two brothers also contracted asbestos-caused diseases and sadly passed away.

The book is a story of families and friends and who are fighting for justice for all. His work inspires all anti-asbestos campaigners across the globe who are struggling for the safe removal and eradication of asbestos and asbestos related diseases it causes. His book reveals the deceit, lies, hypocrisy and bribes used by the asbestos companies. The story begins with a powerful foreword by Eric’s mother, Francoise Jonckheere. Whilst suffering from mesothelioma, Francoise faced the Eternit’s CEO but she refused to be bought and silenced, resulting in her ‘laying the groundwork for justice’. Francoise was also one of the founding members of the Association of Asbestos Victims in Belgium. The book has a preface from Laurie Kazan-Allen of International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS). It gives a voice to families who are living with diagnosis of mesothelioma.

I remember discussing the Letter to the Editor with him in a group which was submitted to the European Respiratory Journal (ERJ) asking it to retract the inaccurate and misleading article entitled "The asbestos fibre burden in human lungs: new insights into the chrysotile debate" authored by Inke Sabine Feder, Iris Tischoff Anja Theile, Inge Schmitz, Rolf Merget and Andrea Tannapfel. In their June 2017 article, they claimed that it was critical for workers to show evidence of chrysotile asbestos fibres in the lungs in order to obtain compensation. The ERJ's Editorial entitled "Quantifying asbestos in lung tissue: what debate?" by Benoit Nemery Valerie Nuyts Kristiaan Nackaerts concluded that "it should be realised that the phrase “chrysotile debate” is not neutral. Indeed, the asbestos industry has applied the tactics used by other “merchants of doubt"...." But the ERJ refused to publish the letter. In December 2017, ERJ published "Correspondence regarding the article 'The asbestos fibre burden in human lungs: new insights into the chrysotile debate'" by Pietro Sartorelli and by L. Christine Oliver Fiorella Belpoggi Lygia T. Budnik David Egilman Arthur L. Frank Daniele Mandrioli Colin L. Soskolne Benedetto Terracini Laura Welch Xaver Baur. The latter pointed out "serious shortcomings" in the article like contrary to the authors' claim, there is no ongoing debate about the biopersistence of chrysotile asbestos among independent, credible scientists. In support of their claim that such a debate exists, the authors rely on an article commissioned, funded and developed in collaboration with asbestos lobbyists. In December 2017, ERJ also published "Correspondence regarding the article 'The asbestos fibre burden in human lungs: new insights into the chrysotile debate'" a response by Inke Sabine Feder, Iris Tischoff Anja Theile, Inge Schmitz, Rolf Merget and Andrea Tannapfel which cited "Comparison of Calidria chrysotile asbestos to pure tremolite: final results of the inhalation biopersistence and histopathology examination following shortterm exposure" an article by Bernstein DM, Cevalier J, Smith P. published in Inhalation Toxicology in 2008.

 

Subsequent to ERJ's refusal to publish their letter, Kathleen Ruffi, Eliezer João de Souza, Fernanda Giannasi, Evelyn Glenskiv, Marc Hindryv, Linda Reinsteinvi, Adrian Prietovii, Gopal Krishna, Laurie Kazan-Allen, Eric Jonckheere, Robert Vojakovic, and Pierrette Iselin had co-authored an 8-page long commentary entitled "Asbestos and insurance interests continue to use discredited scientific argument to sell asbestos and to deny justice to asbestos victims" which was published in the Journal of Scientific Practice and Integrity in its April 11, 2019 issue.

 

Eric’s story is captured in a video depicting the lives of many victims from Eternit’s asbestos operations near the Belgian cities of Kapelle and Harmignies. 

I will always remember Eric as a fellow comrade who lived and struggled for a just and fair world without asbestos. His memory will inspire the global fight against asbestos killers and their collaborators in public institutions. I will his treasure his book and his memory. 

Message from Alec Farquhar, Coordinator, Asbestos Free Canada and Convenor, Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB) Asbestos Working Group

Éric Jonckheere and his family endured an unimaginable degree of suffering caused by asbestos.  Their story began in a small company town in Belgium, where Éric’s father was the manager of an Eternit asbestos cement factory. A significant proportion of the asbestos used there came from Canada.  Eventually, Éric’s father, mother and two of his brothers died from mesothelioma.  Tragically, Éric himself joined them on December 13, 2024 after a tenacious struggle against the relentless cancer that began four years ago.

Éric decided years ago that he would not rest until he helped win justice for asbestos victims and achieved a global ban on asbestos.  He made a magnificent contribution to that struggle.  He was a charismatic, bigger than life figure who won people over with charm and humour (often dark) as much as by statistics and policy arguments. 

Éric contributed greatly to our asbestos struggle in Canada, as he did in many parts of the world.  I was privileged to host him in 2012, when he stood in solidarity with the hundreds of wonderful activists of Sarnia, Ontario;  this was a major moment of progress on our journey to ban asbestos in Canada in 2018.

Éric visited Canada again with his friend Daniel Lambo, in 2019, when the Canadian Mesothelioma Foundation sponsored the Canadian launch of Daniel’s film “Breathless”, which portrayed the global reach of the asbestos industry, grounded in the story of the Jonckheere family.

Then, after Éric’s mesothelioma diagnosis, he told me that we would like to visit Canada while he was still able.  So in November 2023, he came to Toronto and made a powerful intervention at the Canadian Mesothelioma Foundation’s conference.  Following that, I was privileged to accompany him on a visit to the closed down asbestos mines in Quebec – in the town formerly called Asbestos and now called Val des Sources.  He was in great discomfort at times but courageously and in good humour confronted once again the place where the asbestos in his lungs came from. 

Eric was a powerful influence in our movement and I miss him deeply.

Message from ABEVA

Belgian Association of Asbestos Victims, (ABEVA) mourned the death of its president. Its press release dated December 15, 2024 reads: "Eric Jonckheere, president of the Belgian Association of Asbestos Victims, (ABEVA) died Friday evening, Dec. 13, of mesothelioma, the most serious of the asbestos-related diseases. He was 66 years old. His illness was caused by asbestos to which he had been exposed as a young man near the Eternit factories in Kapelle-op-den-Bos. Four other members of his family have already died from the same causes. ABEVA has fallen into a state of intense sadness.  ABEVA assures all of Eric's loved ones, his partner and children of its solidarity. For four years, Eric endured this disease with admirable courage and tenacity, carrying out his duties and our struggle on behalf of asbestos victims with particularly positive energy. Eric reiterated to us recently that he is not moved by a feeling of revenge, but above all by the urgent need for justice, recognition of guilt and just compensation for the victims from those responsible for their illnesses. This is the meaning of the legal actions he has taken, so far successfully. This is also the meaning of his struggle-our struggle-to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future by removing asbestos from all places that can still generate hazards, primarily schools and other public places. ABEVA will naturally continue these battles in which it has been engaged for nearly 25 years and to which Éric has contributed extensively and tirelessly."

Message from Occupational Health and Safety Managers, Nigeria

In a message dated December 18, 2024, Ehi Iden, Chief Executive Officer, Occupational Health and Safety Managers, Ikeja Lagos, Nigeria wrote: "It is really sad to read of Eric's death.  I have read of his story and great activism efforts towards asbestos ban but sadly, this is where his journey ends. In solidarity with Eric, we must keep up the advocacy; no one is safe in a world where asbestos thrives until everyone of us is safe. My condolences to his family and everyone who knew him closely."