Surveys reveal the poor condition of asbestos in UK schools and hospitals.

In 2023 Start Software produced a report on the state of asbestos in UK schools and hospitals, based on their database of the results of asbestos surveys. In November 2024 they updated the report.  It’s not good news.

Despite some progress in removing the most dangerous asbestos materials, the findings reveal that the overall state remains critical.

• Schools: Nearly all asbestos reinspected shows deterioration, with 1 in 5 samples in very poor condition, and 1 in 4 buildings surveyed contained damaged asbestos.
• Hospitals: 1 in 3 asbestos samples from surveys were in very poor condition, and half of the asbestos samples reinspected still show signs of damage. Some progress has been made, as half of the severely damaged asbestos has been repaired or removed.

The report underscores the health risks, including diseases like mesothelioma, caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibres. It calls for increased government action and improved asbestos risk management, including the creation of a National Asbestos Database to enhance public infrastructure safety.

The update is here and the original full report is  here.