Asbestos News

The Flintshire Chronicle reports that all 12 of the high schools and 46 of the 74 primary schools in Flintshire, UK, contain asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral.

The material can also reportedly be found in the floor tiles, pipe insulation and other areas of two of the five special education units in the county, according to the news provider.

As a result, David Evans, Wales' secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) is encouraging the Flintshire County Council to conduct an asbestos survey on the affected buildings.

"I would call on the council to carry out an urgent review and put something in place to ensure the work and school environment is a safe place," Evans told the news source. "I think the only reason councils are unwilling to remove asbestos is cost, but you can’t put a price on children and employees."

Flintshire schools have been linked to asbestos exposure in the past, as a 2008 inquest found that 69-year-old art teacher Renee Eden likely died as a result of being exposed to the dangerous mineral, according to the news source.

Exposure to asbestos has been associated with the development of a number of serious illnesses including asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.