ABSTRACT: The use of asbestos has been banned in many countries following the recognition of the direct relation betweenmesothelioma (pleurarcancer), throat cancer, ovary cancer and asbestosis and exposure to asbestos. In our country,too, the commercial utilisation of the asbestos mineral has been banned as of 31.12.2010. Despite this ban, the risksposed by anthropogenic (industrial) asbestos exposure is still relevant due to the presence of asbestos in products thathave been released to the market before the above-mentioned date and the continuing circulation of these products in daily life. On another note, as research on medical geologic and other epidemiologic in our country shows, anotherfactor threatening asbestos safety is geogenic (environmental) exposure to asbestos. Asbestos continues to pose athreat to the environment and public health as the steps necessary to strengthen asbestos safety have not been takendespite the presence of these two decisive factors. The goal of this study is the elaboration of the problem of asbestossafety within the framework of the national asbestos profile in a historical perspective and to assess the future of thisproblem. Our study shows that our country is not only an important importer of asbestos, but also a producer. Eventhough Turkey is exposed to both anthropogenic and geogenic asbestos, awaraness regarding this issue is low onnot only the individual, but also the public level. In our country, where there is need for a strategy different from theone that has so far been followed in the face of the risks we are exposed to, a participatory (society-based) asbestosrisk management strategy that makes the reduction of the harms of asbestos a matter of state policy, that closes thegap between the laws and regulations regarding the issue and the institutional infrastructure and thereby takes as abasis the complete and systematic fight against both anthropogenic and geogenic exposure, must rapidly be devisedand adopted.