Why Asbestos Is Still A Serious Problem In 2023

Since the millennium, all forms of asbestos have been banned in building projects throughout the UK and building owners have been responsible for ensuring that asbestos is removed. Despite that, to this day, asbestos is still being found in a great many buildings across the country. In this article, we’ll talk about why so many buildings still contain asbestos, and what to do if you need to arrange an asbestos survey in London.

The Ubiquity Of Asbestos

It’s hard to imagine today, but there was a time not too long ago when asbestos was one of the most commonplace building materials around. A naturally occurring, fire retardant fibrous silicate, asbestos had the dual advantages of being relatively cheap to produce and highly effective to work with.

What wasn’t commonly understood at the time was that asbestos can also cause a condition called asbestosis – a chronic lung disease that results from small fibres of asbestos making their way into people’s lungs – which can, in turn, lead to an often fatal form of cancer called mesothelioma.

Although the link between asbestos and mesothelioma was first observed as early as the 1930s, it took a long time for the evidence to mount up to the point where the substance was banned. The reason for this is that symptoms can take between 20 and 30 years to develop, by which time, those affected may not even remember coming into contact with asbestos.

All this to say that while asbestos may have been banned for decades, beforehand it was everywhere and getting rid of it is no easy task.

Booking An Asbestos Survey In London

If you suspect that a building you’re responsible for might contain asbestos it’s vital that you book a survey straight away. Undamaged asbestos generally isn’t too dangerous, but should it become damaged then you’ve immediately got a problem on your hands.

As such, every step of the survey and removal must be carried out by experienced professionals with the correct PPE.

Like many parts of the UK, London contains a number of buildings from across the decades and so asbestos surveys in London are not as uncommon as you might think. Booking an asbestos survey in London will not open you up to any legal danger from staff or members of the public who’ve entered your building. As a matter of fact, should you have any reason to suspect the building may contain asbestos, arranging an asbestos survey is the only responsible thing to do.

To book your asbestos survey in London, please contact us at 03304 703 872 or fill out the email form on our website. Our lines are open 24/7.