The Sunday Times: “Asbestos killing 5,000 people a year.“

According to The Sunday Times, breathing in asbestos fibres is the sole cause of mesothelioma, an incurable form of cancer. Most people who develop mesothelioma do not experience any symptoms for many years. With the average life expectancy after diagnosis is 18 months, with the impact on victims and their families is sudden and traumatic.

In the UK, more than 5,000 people die each year from asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Of these, the largest cause of death is mesothelioma, with 2,544 fatalities in 2020, representing a 6% increase from the previous year, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Asbestosis, which causes the fatal hardening of the lungs, is also a major contributor to the death toll.

Diseases related to asbestos are typically the result of ongoing, frequent exposure at the workplace. Family members can be exposed through contact with a worker’s hair or clothing. According to the policy and research group ResPublica, even though asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, there are still an estimated six million tonnes of it present in more than 1.5 million buildings. This includes a majority of hospitals (90%), schools (80%), and homes constructed between the 1950s and 1999.

Today Britain has more mesothelioma cases per head than any other nation.

Sources:
The Sunday Times (Read article)
Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
ResPublica