Asbestos News

Tens of millions of pounds in funding have been approved for the redevelopment of a Welsh hospital.

Glan Clwyd hospital in Bodelwyddan is already undergoing extensive asbestos removal, according to the BBC. Now, it will receive massive improvements as £77 million in funding was approved by the Welsh government.

"We are maintaining our investment in the health service across Wales in cash terms over the next three years – despite the impact of the UK Government’s cuts to the Welsh budget," Health Minister Lesley Griffiths told News Wales.

Currently, the hospital is undergoing £7 in asbestos removal and fire safety upgrades.

The BBC reports that the building was constructed in the 1970s when asbestos was commonly used because of its insulating and flame retardant properties.

However, it has been known for decades that exposure to asbestos could cause a number of serious illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer that attacks the thin membrane that lines the chest, abdomen and many internal organs.

The World Health Organization estimates that such illnesses claim the lives of 107,000 people every year world-wide.