Did you think the danger from asbestos is a thing of the past? It isn’t.
The importation, supply and use of asbestos was banned in 1999, but it might still be in any building built or renovated before 2000. This is particularly true of work done between the 1950s and the 1980s.
It is estimated that as many as 1.5 million UK buildings may still contain asbestos. This includes public buildings such as schools and hospitals, which as they age, are increasingly likely to emit harmful asbestos dust and fibres.
How many people are affected by asbestos?
Each year as many as 2,700 people in the UK are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a form of cancer where 9/10 cases are caused by exposure to asbestos. A similar number of people are diagnosed with asbestosis and pleural thickening.
Almost 60% of people with mesothelioma die in the first year after diagnosis. The majority of these cases were avoidable through better asbestos management.
We’re concerned that this public health threat is not being taken seriously by the government.
Calling time on asbestos.
Based on recommendations made last year by the Work and Pensions Committee, the charity Mesothelioma UK is asking the government for a central register so that we can know where all the asbestos is and what condition it is in.
They’re also asking them government to set a timeframe for the safe removal of Asbestos, prioritising high risk settings such as schools and hospitals.
Asbestos Support Central England is supporting this campaign.
The clock is ticking.
What can you do?
We are calling on the government to commit to a programme of phased removal, we need your help to enact change.
– Send a letter to your local MP
– Sign the parliamentary petition
Find out more about asbestos and how it can be safely managed – HSE Website
Find more information and see videos and personal testimony from people affected.