Children and teachers at thousands of UK schools could be at risk of developing cancer due to a policy of leaving asbestos in place, an article by the Lancashire Telegraph has found.
Charles Pickles, a former asbestos consultant who founded the campaign group Airtight on Asbestos, has stated that between 200 and 300 children every year will have their lives shortened by asbestos-related illnesses “just as a result of going to school.”
Key points from this article:
- Joanne Gordan, a chairwoman of the Asbestos Victims Support Groups’ Forum UK has claimed “we are seeing more women diagnosed with mesothelioma.”
- There are around 3000 ‘CLASP’ schools remaining in the UK. These are schools that contain a substantial amount of asbestos within the buildings.
- Figures collected by Office for National Statistics show 371 teachers died of mesothelioma between 2001 and 2021. This included 139 primary school/nursery teachers and 110 in secondary schools.
- Mr Pickles believes that the UK should get rid of its policy of “management in situ” and introduce phased removal.
- Employment Minister Mims Davies has said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will begin research to review asbestos control regulations.
You can read the full article in full here
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