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Asbestos
is a naturally occurring mineral which is fire-resistant; chemical
resistant and has a high tensile strength, making it a widely-used
component in building and construction materials. Asbestos was
first used in building and construction in the UK as far back
as the late 1800’s. Extensive usage occurred within the
construction of buildings, between the late 1940’s until
the mid 1970’s. However, some asbestos products were still
being installed prior to a total UK wide ban, as late as 1999.
It is estimated that over 5 million tonnes of asbestos was imported
into the UK installed within as many as 1.5million commercial
buildings alone. There are a number of different types of asbestos,
but the most frequently occurring are: Crocidolite (blue); Amosite
(brown); Chrysotile (white). Although the properties of these
asbestos materials differ, all have been found to cause a number
of fatal lung diseases when their fibres are released into the
atmosphere and inhaled. Asbestos-related diseases (including:
mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer) currently kill approximately
3000 people each year in the UK. This figure is expected to
rise to 10,000 within the next decade.
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