Residents, motorists and business owners in Stoke-on-Trent have had a sharp reminder that asbestos is all around us. Following the closure of a shop called The Art Department in Brunswick Street, Hanley, a firm of developers applied for permission to redevelop it. Unfortunately, the building turned out to contain asbestos. This is a highly hazardous substance. It can cause a number of life-changing diseases. These include an incurable cancer called mesothelioma.
People are grumbling
Shopkeepers are now grumbling about the loss of access to their premises. And motorists visiting Hanley have lost access to a car park. However, the Health and Safety Executive is restricting access until a specialist firm has removed the asbestos. This will make the area safe again.
Asbestos is all around us!
The same situation could occur almost anywhere. Many buildings constructed or renovated between the 1930s and the 1980s contain asbestos. The people redeveloping the buildings, and anyone living or working close by, are put at risk when this is disturbed. We need the government to adopt a #zeroasbestos policy. Grants should be made available to remove it.
You can read more about this story at https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/asbestos-alert-blocks-stoke-trent-5878732
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