Experts launch national Asbestos Taskforce to challenge UK’s “manage indefinitely” strategy

Speaking today to announce the Taskforce’s launch, timed to coincide with International Workers’ Memorial Day and the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, Christine Emmett, said people who work with asbestos know that: “deterioration and exposure are inevitable.”

Highlighting how thousands of workers die each year due to preventable exposures to asbestos, she said: “The UK has relied too long on the assumption that asbestos can be managed indefinitely. [We aim to] bring evidence and realism to the debate and to make the case for a phased programme of removal that genuinely reduces risk.”

The Independent Asbestos Taskforce will make the case for a phased programme of removal that "genuinely reduces risk." Photograph: iStock

Sir Stephen Timms MP, former chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, who has pushed for a deadline for asbestos removal, lent his support. 

He said he was “encouraged” to see organisations unite around the “shared challenge of tackling asbestos.”  “The Government and HSE have a programme of action already underway, including changing the law, sponsoring new research, inspecting buildings, and running public awareness campaigns reaching hundreds of thousands of people.

“We are committed to building the evidence base to allow us to plan properly for asbestos removal in a responsible way,” he added. 

Taskforce member and Chair of Asbestos Victim Support Group Forum UK, Derek Maylor added: “The Asbestos Victims Support Group UK witness first-hand the awful effects of asbestos related diseases on individuals and their families so we support the complete eradication of asbestos from UK buildings and every area of the built environment so that no one else is exposed to a hazard that is entirely preventable.”

The inauguration of the taskforce comes as the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Occupational Safety and Health met to examine the UK’s asbestos legacy, and the impact on people and families today.

At the House of Commons event on Wednesday 15 April, there were calls for more timely diagnosis and fair access to specialist care for patients living with mesothelioma.

The APPG also backed the establishment of a risk register allowing a phased removal programme, starting with the worst buildings.

Other key recommendations included mandatory asbestos awareness training for public sector workers, particularly in health and education.

Liz Darlison, CEO of Mesothelioma UK stated: “The APPG meeting emphasised that asbestos remains a continuing public health risk in the UK, with millions still potentially exposed in workplaces, schools and healthcare settings.

“We reiterated that the UK continues to have one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world and stressed the importance of coordinated action across government, the NHS and industry to prevent future cases, whilst improving care for those currently affected.”

In 2023, 2,218 mesothelioma deaths were recorded, with a larger number of additional deaths because of other asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer.

Asbestos is associated with the UK’s industrial legacy and often dismissed as an old man’s disease. 

However, there is growing evidence that asbestos deaths are rising among females and younger people. White collar workers, nurses, teachers, and former pupils are being increasingly exposed to the deadly substance.

The Independent Asbestos Task Force includes members from industry, unions, charities and wider campaign groups, including:

•    Airtight on Asbestos    
•    Mesothelioma UK
•    Asbestos Information CIC    
•    The National Education Union (NEU)
•    Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA)        
•    The PREDICT-Meso international consortium
•    Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association (ATaC)
•    The Society of Radiographers
•    Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum UK        
•    The Trade Union Congress (TUC)
•    The Communication Workers Union (CWU)    

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