EAF comes hard and fast on the tail of the FAAM conference – and with only a couple of weeks to go it really is very close. As usual, the event’s organiser Dr Yvonne Waterman has packed out the conference with an incredible line-up of speakers – she really does seem to know everyone!

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve stepped back from being a session host this year, with my FAAM committee colleague Sara Mason taking my duties. But this has given me a bit of a problem: deciding which of the compelling presentations to attend!

As usual the conference takes place over two days. This year it’s in Brussels, and the first day brings an excursion to Ghent’s industrial museum. We then return to the hotel for a series of workshops and discussions. Day one of EAF sets the scene for the whole event, and by the time we get to day two you’re already in the collegiate groove.

The second day looks utterly fascinating. This year Yvonne has chosen the theme Legacy, and we can see that running through the whole day. Legacy… what kind of mess are we in, and are we leaving it to the next generation?

The first talk that catches my eye is The Legacy of Asbestos in Buildings and Infrastructure, by Jose Blanco. This is where we could expect the biggest legacy issue to lie, but how asbestos was used in buildings differs massively from country to country – I’m keen to hear Jose’s insight.

Next, professor Arthur Frank will be discussing the impact of asbestos cement water pipes – a problem that’s being utterly ignored in the UK. Liz Darlison (of Mesothelioma UK) will be giving an update on asbestos in schools, and how the legacy of old buildings, inadequate maintenance, and poor management may be a ticking time bomb.

The keynote speech bringing the morning session to an end will be given by a prominent politician from Ukraine. They’re there to explain how war damage is leading to asbestos escaping into the environment, adding complexity and long-term harm to everything that country is going through.

Now comes the difficult part for me, as the conference splits into two parallel sessions. On one side, amongst other talks, we have professor Roger Willey on creating asbestos expertise in Chile, professor Tim Driscoll with Epidemiology: raising awareness on risks and control measures, or Helping the Ukrainian asbestos sector, by Ian Harper – surely the sharpest of sharp ends.

On the other side, Tobias Hans has a project case study, in which he looks at taking a contaminated industrial setting and not only removing the asbestos, but completely repurposing the site for other uses. Chris Bishop will also be discussing the Beirut catastrophe, and explaining why it may be another 9/11.

The final session to get my attention belongs to Federica Paglietti (of INAIL). Last year she teased us with some research into a new kind of respirator for asbestos workers. This year her presentation is Reducing worker exposure to asbestos: new challenges with advanced technologies. Definitely my kind of talk.

As is so often the case with EAF, all of the sessions promise to be fascinating, and I’m in something of a quandary. The only talk I know I will be attending is my own – a good news story that had its birth at EAF and came to maturity at the FAAM conference. The EasyGel story is right at the core of what Yvonne has created EAF to do – share ideas, so that others can learn.

EasyGel solved a problem in France. When I looked at it, I thought it might solve a different problem in the UK. It does, but you’ll have to wait for the conference to find out what and by how much! I hope to see you there – and if you’re yet to book, please mention my name when doing so for 10% off your ticket.

Register now for your place at EAF 2024! Mention my name when booking to claim your 10% discount.