Asbestos News
Hundreds of UK schools reportedly contain asbestos
In a recent statement, the UK's Western Education and Library Board (WELB) confirmed that more than 200 local schools contain asbestos, reports the Londonderry Sentinel.According to the news source, WELB said that the asbestos-containing facilities included 170 primary schools, seven nursery schools and five specialty schools, among others. The education authority projected a price tag of £480,000 to completely remove all the asbestos from the schools.
A spokesperson for WELB told the news source that none of the asbestos materials found in the school would be situated in the Health and Safety Executive's "high risk" category, but added that removing the asbestos is considered a major priority.
The spokesperson added that nobody had been exposed to the asbestos during investigations or testing, according to the news source.
It is important for people to avoid being exposed to asbestos as this can lead to the development of lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that kills approximately one person every five hours in Britain, according to the UK newspaper the Mirror.
5/26/11
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