It is a sad reality that every year a European small town vanishes from lung cancer. One such small town in Greece, known as Tzanakis, has a particularly heartbreaking story to tell.

The town lost most of its population to lung cancer due to years of exposure to asbestos.

The Asbestos Exposure in Tzanakis

In the early 1900s, Tzanakis was a thriving small town in Greece with a population of just over 2,000 residents. Its main industry was the production of construction materials such as asbestos cement.

At the time, asbestos was considered a miracle material due to its heat resistance and durability. It was widely used in construction and manufacturing across the world, including in Tzanakis.

However, it wasn’t until much later that the dangers of asbestos were discovered. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to a number of health complications, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.

The symptoms often take years to manifest, which meant that generations of Tzanakis residents were exposed to asbestos without realizing the risks.

Within just a few decades, Tzanakis developed a reputation for having an abnormally high rate of lung cancer.

It was later discovered that the town’s residents were inhaling asbestos fibers on a daily basis, from the dust created during the manufacturing of asbestos cement products. A study conducted in the 1990s found that over 90 percent of the residents of Tzanakis had asbestos fibers in their lungs.

The Impact of the Asbestos Exposure

The impact of the asbestos exposure on the residents of Tzanakis was devastating. Over time, the town’s population soon began to dwindle.

As residents became sick and passed away, the remaining population began to leave the town in search of healthier environments.

Today, Tzanakis has become a ghost town, with only a handful of residents left. The once-thriving community now sits abandoned, with deteriorating buildings and empty streets.

The loss of so many people to lung cancer has left a profound impact on the town’s history and the few remaining residents who still live there today.

The Tzanakis Story in the Wider Context

The story of Tzanakis is not unique. Across Europe, there are countless small towns and communities that have suffered due to the dangers of asbestos exposure.

While the use of asbestos has been banned in most developed countries, there are still many nations where it remains legal. As such, the threat of asbestos-related diseases continues to be a global issue.

Asbestos exposure has been linked to a range of other health conditions beyond lung cancer.

These include mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, chest, or abdomen), asbestosis (a type of lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers), and pleural thickening (scarring of the tissue that surrounds the lungs).

The Fight Against Asbestos Exposure

The story of Tzanakis serves as a reminder of the dangers of asbestos exposure and its long-term impact on public health. In recent years, there has been a growing push to ban asbestos worldwide.

Efforts have also been made to provide compensation to those affected by asbestos-related diseases, and to support research into new treatments and therapies.

One such initiative is the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos exposure and to advocate for a global ban.

The organization also provides support and resources to those who have been affected by asbestos-related diseases, including medical treatment, legal assistance, and social services.

Conclusion

The story of Tzanakis is a tragic example of the dangers of asbestos exposure.

The town’s experience serves as a reminder of the importance of taking action to prevent exposure to toxic materials and to support those who have been affected by these substances. Only through continued advocacy, education, and research can we hope to prevent further tragedies like that of Tzanakis from occurring in the future.