Asbestos remains a major danger to Australians ... one in three of homes built before 1987 contains the carcinogenic mineral. 

To highlight this menace an asbestos awareness campaign is being launched to help Territorians understand the risks of asbestos exposure and how to avoid them. 

The campaign is based on “Betty”, a purpose-built caravan-sized mobile model house that demonstrates the locations where asbestos might be found in Australian homes. 

Betty’s life-saving message is that asbestos can be managed, and its dangers neutralised, as long as home occupants and renovators know where to find it and how to deal with it. 

The campaign will be be launched at the Knuckey St end of Darwin's Smith Street mall at 9.30 tomorrow from where Betty will begin a journey around the Northern Territory to promote asbestos awareness.

The use of asbestos in residential buildings ended in 1987 and use of the substance was banned completely in 2003. 

Large quantities of asbestos are still present in older homes and buildings, a potentially dangerous legacy for the people who occupy and use those buildings, particularly when they decide to renovate them. 

Betty will bring her asbestos awareness message to several Northern Territory communities, starting with Darwin where the campaign will be launched on Thursday, October 13. 

Betty’s tour of the Territory will include Palmerston, Adelaide River, Pine Creek, Katherine, Mataranka, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Yulara and Erlunda. 

From there Betty will visit communities in South Australia, and New South Wales. 

Betty is a joint initiative of two national bodies: the Asbestos Education Committee and the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute. 

Betty’s mission is to encourage homeowners, renovators and tradies to learn more about asbestos to protect themselves from its dangerous effects. 

Almost a quarter of home undertaken in the last two years have involved asbestos removal, but only 50% of home renovators obtain asbestos assessments from qualified professionals. 

In the Northern Territory asbestos is most commonly found in asbestos cement materials used in roofing, exterior and interior wall cladding, eaves, floor tiles and linoleum and electrical circuit boards. 

Exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to mesothelioma, an incurable form of lung cancer. 

NT regulations allow home renovators to remove small amounts of asbestos.  But renovators are advised the safest way to handle asbestos is to engage a licensed asbestos remover. 

NT WorkSafe is participating in the asbestos awareness campaign by providing information to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos. 

Further information: David Harris, Manager, Corporate Communications & Media, Department of the Attorney-General & Justice, phone 0400 342 389.