Asbestos crisis persists in UK schools

Since 1980, over 1,400 teachers and 12,600 pupils have succumbed to mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos exposure. The Joint Union Asbestos Committee’s report warns that “hundreds of thousands of students and staff… are predicted to die from mesothelioma” due to inadequate asbestos regulations. Lawyer Harminder Bains of Leigh Day, representing victims, criticises the Government’s policy of leaving asbestos undisturbed, stating: “You don’t have to see visible dust for it to be dangerous.” The report highlights the urgent need for a national database of non-domestic buildings containing asbestos and calls for immediate removal from schools. Liz Darlison, CEO of Mesothelioma UK, describes the situation as a “national disgrace,” urging the Government to act before it’s too late.