Asbestos risks in UK schools

A coalition of leading health charities, professional bodies, unions, and campaigners has raised concerns about the dangers of asbestos in schools, warning that up to 150 school workers and pupils in the UK may face fatal exposure each year.

According to the group, around 15 school workers are expected to die annually due to asbestos exposure, and , based on US research, 135 pupils will be exposed, leading to fatal diseases later in life.

This coalition includes education unions, the British Occupational Hygiene Society, Mesothelioma UK, and asbestos victim advocacy groups.

A 2017 report from the Department for Education revealed that 83% of state schools in England confirmed the presence of asbestos. The Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) estimates that between 1980 and 2017, asbestos exposure in schools led to the deaths of 5,000 to 10,000 pupils and staff from mesothelioma.