"Clearing The Air: The costs and benefits of removing asbestos from UK schools and hospitals", is a new report commissioned by Mesothelioma UK.
From left to right: Sir Stephen Timms MP (Chair, W&P Select Committee), Liz Darlison (CEO, Mesothelioma UK), Charles Pickles (Founder, Airtight on Asbestos Campaign)
The analysis reveals the true cost to the UK economy of asbestos in schools and hospitals, and provides evidence to support a national plan for its removal.
This report estimates that in 2023, the total costs to the UK economy, of asbestos-related diseases among former school and hospital workers, were just over £1.3 billion.
The results suggest that removing asbestos from schools and hospitals within the next 10 years would save the UK economy almost £12 billion, over a 50 year period, in the reduced economic and social costs of asbestos-related diseases. The savings to the UK public finances would be around £3.6 billion.
With a foreword by The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, this report is dedicated to Mavis Nye, a tireless campaigner for asbestos awareness, who died the the same month it was published.
This report was produced by Mesothelioma UK with the kind support of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA); the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association (ATaC); the National Education Union (NEU); UNISON; the Airtight on Asbestos Campaign; and ResPublica.