Conference venues
The conference itself will be held on 13 & 14 November at the fabulous Grieghallen building in the historical city centre of Bergen, Norway. The Grieghallen is often used for important events, large concerts, and even for the Eurovision Songfestival! It is only a two minute walk from the Grand Hotel Terminus, which we are using as our base, also as the location for the Meet & Greet Buffet and the fabulous Gala Night. So yes: two venues this year.
Getting there: Bergen is easily and quickly reached from the international Bergen Airport (BGO) by train, bus, shuttle and taxi. From England, there is a direct flight from London Gatwick. Many airlines fly directly and offer surprisingly cheap return rates, e.g. Norwegian, Scandinavian Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, EasyJet, Loganair, Jet2 and Wizz air. NB: we expect mild temperatures.
Booking your venue hotel
To book at the conference rate, CLICK HERE. You have a choice of five nearby hotels. Just Fill in the corporate code ‘25040’ when you book your room, to get your reduced conference price. The main hotel is the Grand Hotel Terminus as we are having the fantastic Gala Night there, but you can also opt for other hotels within the De Bergenske Group with this discount; and there are many other hotels of all price ranges besides in the near vicinity, too.
Prices
A) Day Zero, 12 November 2025: the Meet & Greet Buffet at the Grand Hotel Terminus! Ideal to get together informally and have a great dinner with the best of global company. € 85,–
B) Day One, 13 November 2025: Exciting excursion on foot in the historic city centre, followed by lunch, workshops and presentations at the Grieghallen: € 300,-.
C) Gala Night on Day One, with three course dinner and fabulous musical entertainment, at the Grand Hotel Terminus: € 130,-.
D) Day Two, 14 November 2025: Classic conference, incl. deluxe lunch at the Grieghallen: € 600,-.
All prices are ex VAT.
Registration and payment
To register: please use the blue registration and payment button below, or, if needed for any reason whatsoever, email to waterman@globalasbestosforum.org, indicating which events you wish to attend (A/B/C/D) and if you have any dietary or other special requirements. A Paypal invoice will then be sent to you within a week, which you can pay by Paypal with credit cards or by bank transfer.
Registration is concluded on receipt of full payment. Speakers, presentations and locations may be subject to change.
Programme
See below for the programme. During the conference afternoon sessions on 14 November 2025, you can switch quickly and quietly between the simultaneous presentations, so you can choose from sessions A, B and C exactly what interests you the most!
| TIME | TITLE/DESCRIPTION |
| 19:00- 22:00 | Informal Meet & Greet Dinner Buffet at the Grand Hotel Terminus. Come and go as you please; and afterwards, you can join us at the fireplace in the very cozy hotel bar or, weather permitting, join us for a trip to nearby Mount Fløyen by cable car and see the beautiful night skyline of Bergen, possibly the Northern Lights as well. |
TIME | SPEAKER | TITLE/DESCRIPTION/LOCATION |
08:30 |
| Gathering in lobby of the Grand Hotel Terminus, Zander Kaaes gate 6 |
08:45 – 11:30 |
| Departure from the Grand Hotel Terminus for an excursion on foot through the historical part of Bergen, stopping by iconic landmarks such as the harbour, 11th century Bryggen quarter (UNESCO) and various locations of professional interest, after which presentations will be given at the Maritime Museum, this is located at Haakon Sheteligs plass 15. |
| Sean Fitzgerald (FACTS) | Asbestos 101: everything you want to know about asbestos but were afraid to ask |
| Linda Marie Bjelde (Urban Reuse Norway AS, BEVAR) | A major asbestos removal project |
| Eirik Rudi Wærner (AsbestForum) | Asbestos in Bergen’s courthouse (Tinghuset) |
|
| Proceeding on foot by sightseeing route to the Grieghallen conference hall at Edvard Griegs plass 1. |
11:30 – 12:15 | Break | Break – Buffet lunch at the Grieghallen |
12:15 – 14:00 |
| Round table debates, interspersed with presentations. Each table to have a specific topic or question for (comparative) debate. |
12:15 – 12:35 | Professor Kevin Bampton (BOHS) | How can asbestos awareness and political awareness be improved? |
12:35 – 12:55 | Kari Mork (Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority) | The Norwegian asbestos situation in the workplace |
12:55 – 13:15 | Mat Werfel (ADDRI) | Advancing asbestos awareness, prevention and eradication initiatives |
13:15 – 13:35 | Paul Sandanger | Struggles to achieve recognition and justice |
13:35 – 14:00 | Adam Harding (UKATA) and Tom Eriksen (Eriksen HazMat Survey AS) | Improving training standards |
14:00 – 14:30 | Group debate | Round table and audience debate |
14:30 – 15:00 | Break |
|
15:00 – 15:40 | Guillermo Villamizar (FUNDCLAS), Vidar Larsen (Fellesforbundet), more speakers to be announced | What can trade unions and activist groups achieve? |
15:40 – 16:00 | Olha Bohdanova (ESOSH & ISSA Construction) | The challenges of rebuilding Ukraine |
16:00 – 17:00 | All speakers v. audience | Debate and short summary of findings per table, conclusion |
17:00 – 19:00 | Break |
|
19:00 – 22:00 | Gala Night | Three course Gala Night Dinner with wonderful live music by violins and cello |
TIME | SPEAKER | TITLE/DESCRIPTION |
07:45- 08:00 | Grieghallen venue | Registration and refreshments Photo exhibitions by Tony Rich and Asbestography exhibition Stands |
08:00- 08:15 | Yvonne Waterman (Global Asbestos Forum), Tom Eriksen and Eirik Rudi Wærner (AsbestForum) | Welcome and introduction of the chairpersons for sessions A, B and C: Adam Harding (UKATA), Tom Eriksen (Eriksen HazMat Survey AS) and TBA. |
08:15- 08:40 | Phillip Hazelton (APHEDA) | Opening Speech: Collaboration is key |
08:40- 09:00 | Torunn Ervik (National Institute of Occupational Health in Norway) | Asbestos release during asbestos abatement, short term work and fire |
09:00- 09:20 | Heather Von St. James | Never give up! An inspiring fight for survival |
09:20- 09:40 | Sean Fitzgerald (FACTS) | What (really) is asbestos? |
09:40- 10:00 | Break with refreshments |
|
10:00- 10:15 | Professor Arthur Frank (Drexel University) | The legacy of asbestos cement pipes and other insights |
10:15- 10:35 | Markus Sommer (Kavarmat) | The failure of asbestos substitution, leading to Cr-6 hazards. Lessons to be learned. |
10:35- 11:10 | Professor Jukka Takala (International Commission on Occupational Health) | Keynote Speech: ‘The Global Burden of Disease: most recent data for asbestos deaths and diseases. Global, European and country data for males and females’ |
11:10- 11:45 | Yvonne Waterman Clément Debruyne (Eurofins) | Global Asbestos Forum Awards and Asbestography Photo of the Year Award Group photo |
11:45- 12:30 | Lunch break | Photo exhibitions by Tony Rich and Asbestography exhibition Stands NB: You can switch quietly between sessions A, B and C as often as you like! |
Session A | Main room | Asbestos & Its impact on society |
12:30- 12:50 | Harminder Bains (Leigh Day) | Espionage and intrigues by the asbestos industry |
12:50- 13:10 | Stefan Barker (ARCA) | Developing an asbest removal team in the Gambia |
13:10- 13:30 | Michael Armitage Charles Siegel (Waters Kraus Paul Siegel) | Achieving justice for global asbestos victims, by Michael Armitage and Charles Siegel |
13:30- 13:50 | Prof. Tim Driscoll (ADDRI) | Supporting the recognition and prevention of asbestos-related disease in Low and Middle Income Countries |
Session B | Break-out room | Asbestos & Professional perspectives |
12:30- 12:50 | Baptiste Davril (Eurofins) and Nathalie Camus VALAME) | The need to harmonise European legislation on asbestos metrology |
12:50- 13:10 | Sergé Venken (Miasma) | Naturally occurring asbestos |
13:10- 13:30 | Wayne Bagnall (Wayne Bagnall Consulting) | Asbestos remediation in heritage buildings |
13:30- 13:50 | Harald Blytt | Bergen Municipality’s policy strategy to avoid asbestos surprises |
13:50- 14:20 | Return to plenary session All Speakers of both days | All speakers’ Q and A debate with audience |
Session C | Break-out room | Asbestos & The state of the art |
12:30- 12:50 | Robin Bennett (Start Software) | Amazing advances in asbestos databanks with AI. |
12:50- 13:10 | Hans Thore Smedbold (Norwegian Occupational Hygiene Association/Norsk Yrkeshygienisk Forening) | Competence is the new exposure limit |
13:10- 13:30 | Frank Ehrenfeld (Eurofins) | Asbestos denaturing – new standards to meet global concerns |
13:30- 13:50 | Beate Diseth (Inkluderende Arbeidsliv) | How can we reduce the risk for asbestos exposure in the Norwegian construction industry? |
13:50- 14:20 | Return to plenary session All Speakers of both days | All speakers’ Q and A debate with audience |
14:20- 14:30 | Yvonne Waterman (Global Asbestos Forum), Tom Eriksen (Eriksen HazMat Survey AS) and Eirik Rudi Wærner (AsbestForum) | Closing speech |
