A judge in Italy has ordered two men to stand trial over claims that they were responsible for the death of 2,000 people from asbestos-related diseases.

As key shareholders in Swiss construction company Eternit, Stephan Schmidheiny and Jean-Louis de Cartier owned four asbestos factories in Italy between 1973 and 1986. They are charged with causing an environmental disaster and failing to take proper precautions.

Prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello alleges that Eternit allowed powder left over from production to spread in the air. He also says that the company hid the dangers of asbestos from staff, unions and the public.

Many of those affected live in Casale Monferrato, which was the site of one of the factories. In a situation similar to that in Libby, Montana, up to 50 new cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases are diagnosed each year in the village.

3,000 victims and family members have launched a civil lawsuit in an attempt to claim compensation for their suffering.

This case is a sad reminder of the dangers posed by asbestos factories. While asbestos is now banned in Italy, and of course in the UK, there are still countries around the world where asbestos factories are operating and potentially endangering their employees and local residents.