Salonit asbestos contamination and compensation dispute

Disputes regarding asbestos contamination at the former Salonit factory in Vranjic, Croatia, have centered on both worker compensation and environmental remediation.

Former employees have staged protests against proposed legislative amendments that would exclude approximately 180 workers from receiving compensation. While a new law aims to provide roughly 29,000 euros to 340 employees exposed to asbestos between 1991 and 2006, those who previously received settlements for job loss in 2006 argue they are being unfairly denied these new payments. Protesters maintain that all employees were exposed to dangerous dust regardless of prior settlement status.

Simultaneously, the civic initiative ‘Mjesto koje hoće živjeti’ has called for greater transparency from Croatian authorities regarding the site’s remediation. Residents report that asbestos-containing materials remain visible on the factory grounds nearly two decades after cleanup efforts began in 2007. The group is seeking technical supervision data from the Environmental Protection Fund and specific health data from the Ministry of Health to determine the impact of asbestos-related diseases on the local population.