Tuesday night's forum in Burnie was organised by Asbestos Free Tasmania, to discuss pressing issues related to asbestos contamination, including the former Devonport maternity hopsital.
The meeting also heard from current and former Paperlinx employees who are concerned about their exposure to the deadly fibres.
Ken Fraser has worked at the mill for 39 years and says he is aware of at least two former mill workers who have died of asbestos-related disease.
"People used to pour the asbestos powder into drums, mix it with their hands, and slap it around boiler drums and pipes and so forth," he said.
Mr Fraser says the company should be trying to contact former workers to warn them of the danger.
"Who knows, a lot of other deaths could have been caused by that as well," he said.
Unions are calling on Paperlinx to provide free lung testing for former workers.
They are also urging the company to clean up all of the asbestos on the site.
