Once praised for its sturdiness and resistance to fire, asbestos is now known as a major health hazard which causes debilitating diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma – a form of cancer that negatively impacts the lining of the lungs. Asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999. It continues to be a huge problem, especially in old buildings and industrial sites. This article looks at which areas in the UK are worst affected by asbestos and at the implications of this for residents and workers living in those areas.
The Unseen Threat
Asset build demonstrates the continued hidden danger of asbestos – particularly as the UK undertakes its green revolution. With a focus on ‘green’ retrofitting and upgrading older homes and buildings to a new environmental standard, the removal and careful handling of asbestos forms an important part of these moves. With this in mind, it’s important to consider where asbestos is most likely to be. Construction News, September 2020.
Regions with the Highest Presence of Asbestos
1. London
London is paved with the asbestos. This is the spot where asbestos strikes deep, thanks to an alarming number of older buildings, many of them constructed before the ban on its use, or only loosely enforced. Insulation, roofing or flooring made from asbestos may be hiding in public buildings, schools or private homes. Construction and refurbishment programme after construction and refurbishment programme cast workers and residents into daily contact with asbestos.
2. North West England
The North West of England has a long industrial history, inherited by modern cities such as Manchester and Liverpool. Many of the factories and warehouses built in the industrial boom contained high quantities of asbestos. While many of these sites have been decommissioned and redeveloped, asbestos often remains a problem in buildings across the city. The legacy of these industrial centres is still a problem for construction workers and other residents of these regions.
3. Yorkshire and the Humber
Also high is Yorkshire and the Humber, where an industrial past is still visible in large numbers of 20th-century buildings that have yet to come down. Like the North West, Yorkshire is contaminated both in public buildings and private dwellings.
4. South East England
South East, which includes Kent, Surrey and Sussex, which have more of a mixture of urban and rural counties. Surrey was identified as having a very high usage of asbestos-containing products, with these found in buildings from the post-war period experiencing a high prevalence of asbestos. It came as no surprise to me that where the region was identified to have the most asbestos usage was also likely to have the most development and regeneration projects, which frequently require materials containing asbestos to be managed carefully and removed.
Implications and Management
Because there are such high levels of asbestos in the region, the removal and disposal of this mineral is an issue of great public health and safety. There are strict procedures that need to be followed in the removal and disposal of asbestos and these can be extremely expensive. Without the correct equipment and training, the safe handling of asbestos can carry heavy penalties for negligence or mismanagement.
Health Risks
High levels of asbestos exposure puts people at risk of severe forms of respiratory diseases, which include coughing, chest pain, difficulty in swallowing and, ultimately, asbestosis and even cancer. People who work in areas with airborne asbestos particles take a major risk if safety procedures are not in place. Since the symptoms of asbestos-related diseases are not always apparent for a long period of time, health checks are important to identify problems as soon as possible. Furthermore, measures to ensure safety at workstations and health check-ups can significantly reduce the danger.
Regulatory Compliance
These measures seem extreme because of the way we deal with asbestos in the UK: property owners and contractors must comply with strict HSE guidelines, including making asbestos surveys prior to renovation or demolition work and using licensed asbestos removal contractors.
It is important to know where asbestos is most prevalent in the UK so that it is correctly managed and its dangers dispersed in a safe and secure manner. London, North West England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and South East England are the regions that house the most significant amount of asbestos, which is directly connected to the industrial history of these regions as well as the age of their buildings. As the onward march to the UK’s green revolution continues, it’s important that hidden dangers such as asbestos are recognised to ensure the safety and health of all those who work and live in them. Vigilance and the correct management of this material together with the adherence to all safety regulations must remain paramount to avoid the sensible consequences of this dangerous material.