A Danish homeowner hired an authorized asbestos removal company to safely dismantle his roof, but hidden camera footage revealed shocking safety violations that left his family’s property contaminated. Despite following all the rules and paying for professional work, Mikkel Milthers discovered the workers ignored basic precautions, sparking alarm among experts and unions about widespread failures in Denmark’s asbestos industry.
When Mikkel Milthers decided to remove the aging asbestos roof from his shed on the island of Funen, he knew the stakes were high. The father of young children wanted to protect his family from the deadly fibers that can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma decades after exposure. He contacted what appeared to be a reputable firm, checked their authorization credentials, and believed he had done everything right.
However, a nagging feeling prompted him to hide his phone behind some bricks and press record. What the camera captured over four hours would expose a dangerous reality lurking behind Denmark’s new safety regulations.
The Hidden Camera Reveals Dangerous Shortcuts
The footage from April 2025 showed a troubling scene unfolding on Milthers’ property in Vester Skenninge. While two workers wore protective suits and masks as required by law, two others, including the company’s designated safety supervisor Emil Dahl, worked without proper gear. This violated the strict protocols designed to prevent asbestos fibers from being inhaled or spread across the surrounding area.
Workers Handle Deadly Material Without Protection
The video captured workers carrying asbestos panels close to their bodies and supporting them on their heads, all while wearing no protective equipment. At several points, employees kicked at the brittle panels, releasing clouds of dangerous fibers into the air and onto workers’ clothing. These actions directly contradicted the work plan Dictum Rengøring had submitted to Arbejdstilsynet, Denmark’s labor inspectorate, which promised careful handling and thorough cleanup.
Professor Torben Sigsgaard from Aarhus University’s Department of Public Health reviewed the footage and expressed dismay. The environmental medicine expert noted that everyone present, including Milthers’ family living nearby, faced unnecessary exposure to a substance that kills approximately 300 Danes every year. Recent research suggests the true death toll could reach 1,300 annually when accounting for unreported cases.
Missing Equipment and Fake Safety Measures
Perhaps most disturbing was a moment caught on camera when Dahl asked an employee to retrieve a special asbestos vacuum and put on full protective gear. When the worker pointed out that the vacuum’s loose connection meant it wasn’t actually functioning, Dahl’s response revealed the deception. He admitted the equipment was just for photos and marketing materials for the company’s website, not for actual use during the job.
The required decontamination trailer, which workers must use to rinse off their suits during breaks and after finishing, was entirely absent from the site. On the audio recording, Dahl can be heard telling his crew that the company doesn’t follow 100 percent of the regulations because doing so would make it too difficult to complete all their scheduled jobs.
Experts and Authorities Respond to the Evidence
After reviewing his footage, Milthers immediately contacted multiple agencies seeking help. He reached out to Arbejdstilsynet, police, emergency services, and an environmental consulting firm called Dansk Miljørådgivning. The latter visited his property to test for contamination on the wooden beams left behind and even on his children’s swings and slide.
Environmental Testing Shows Contamination Below Legal Thresholds
The environmental consultant’s report stated that the footage showed multiple instances where common sense was disregarded. The consultant specifically noted how workers shook out the plastic sheeting meant to contain asbestos debris, spreading contaminated material across the ground. While subsequent soil tests showed asbestos levels below the threshold requiring professional cleanup, experts emphasized this didn’t mean the work was done properly.
Ina Josefine Jochimsen, department head for chemicals at Arbejdstilsynet, reviewed the video and confirmed it documented numerous violations. Had inspectors witnessed these actions in person, they would have issued immediate stop work orders. She stressed that asbestos regulations exist for critical reasons, as the dust poses serious risks to anyone who comes near it.
The Authorization System’s Failures Come to Light
The incident highlights significant problems with Denmark’s authorization scheme for asbestos work. To become certified, companies must complete a four day training course and designate a qualified safety supervisor who takes an additional two day program. Yet Dahl, despite holding this critical position, participated in multiple rule violations while serving as his company’s safety guarantor.
Documents from Svendborg Kommune show officials warned Dictum Rengøring about the violations and ordered them to assess contamination levels and remediation costs. However, because testing showed contamination below cleanup thresholds, the company faced no financial penalty for the shoddy work. This outcome frustrated Milthers, who felt the system failed to hold anyone accountable despite clear evidence of wrongdoing.
Threats and Police Complaints Follow the Exposure
Rather than accepting responsibility, company owner Nanna Dahl and her husband Emil Dahl began contacting Milthers repeatedly after he complained. The homeowner described the calls as deeply unpleasant, leaving him uncertain about what the company might do in response to his allegations.
Pressure Tactics and Collection Threats
When Milthers stopped answering his phone and blocked their number, letters began arriving at his home. According to Milthers, these communications threatened to send the unpaid bill to collections if he continued refusing to pay for the defective work until authorities resolved the case. Eventually, Milthers paid the company to end the harassment, though he maintained the work was unacceptable.
The confrontation took another turn in February 2026, more than ten months after the original job. Funen Police contacted Milthers because Emil Dahl and Dictum Rengøring had filed a complaint about being recorded during the work. Milthers maintains that signs warning about surveillance were posted throughout the property, and he believes he acted within his rights to document work being performed on his land.
Company Denies Responsibility Despite Video Evidence
In initial conversations with reporters, Emil Dahl acknowledged making mistakes during the April 2025 job. He explained that his company was relatively new to asbestos work at that time and that errors occurred because the business hadn’t yet mastered all the regulations. He claimed operations had improved since then and suggested the spring violations were growing pains for a developing company.
However, through his attorney, Dahl later retracted these admissions entirely. His legal representative claimed that subsequent violations documented by Arbejdstilsynet in autumn 2025 did not actually involve breaches of asbestos regulations. This assertion directly contradicts the official documents from Arbejdstilsynet, which explicitly cite multiple asbestos rule violations in each case.
Broader Industry Problems Emerge from Investigation
The Milthers case represents just one example of systemic failures plaguing Denmark’s asbestos removal industry. Labor unions and safety advocates point to the incident as evidence that stronger oversight and tougher penalties are desperately needed to protect workers and homeowners alike.
Unions Demand Comprehensive Reforms
Claus von Elling, chairman of 3F Byggegruppen, called the revelations deeply disturbing and scandalous. His union represents construction workers who face asbestos exposure risks daily. Von Elling emphasized that unscrupulous companies prioritize profit over human lives, creating dangers that ripple through communities for decades due to asbestos diseases’ long latency periods.
The union has proposed three major reforms following the TV2 investigation. First, they want Arbejdstilsynet to receive significantly more funding to establish a dedicated asbestos enforcement taskforce. Second, they demand that courts begin imposing jail sentences on violators rather than continuing to rely on fines that companies treat as minor business expenses. Third, 3F calls for banning the practice of encapsulating asbestos in place, arguing this merely passes deadly risks to future workers and building owners.
The Scale of Denmark’s Asbestos Challenge
Denmark faces a massive challenge with approximately 1.3 million buildings still containing asbestos materials, primarily in roof panels installed before the 1990 ban. These structures will require careful remediation over coming decades, creating thousands of jobs but also enormous opportunities for corner cutting by companies seeking to maximize profits.
Professor Sigsgaard noted that while asbestos has been prohibited in new construction for nearly 40 years, it remains the leading cause of work related deaths in Denmark. The diseases it causes, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, typically appear 20 to 50 years after exposure. This means workers exposed today may not show symptoms until they reach retirement age, making prevention the only effective protection strategy.
A Personal Take
The system creates a clear standard and gives homeowners a way to identify supposedly qualified contractors. Milthers case demonstrates that credentials alone provide little actual protection when enforcement remains weak and consequences stay minimal. If an authorized company’s safety supervisor actively participates in violations while being recorded, it suggests the training either failed completely or that economic pressures overwhelm whatever knowledge the courses impart. Perhaps the real lesson is that authorization works only when paired with frequent inspections and penalties severe enough to change corporate behavior.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Asbestos Scandal Consultant Sentenced in Safety Breach
The Danish Dream: Outdated Asbestos Tests Are Endangering Workers Lives
The Danish Dream: Denmarks Air Is Shockingly Asbestos Free
The Danish Dream: Best Home Renovation in Denmark for Foreigners
