At least 3500 people in Great Britain die each year from mesothelioma and asbestos related lung cancer as a result of past exposure to asbestos. Annual numbers of deaths are predicted to go on rising into the next decade.

Asbestos was used extensively as a building material in GB from the 1950s through to the mid 1980s. Although some of this material has been removed over the years, there are many thousands of tonnes of asbestos still present in buildings. It is estimated that over a million domestic premises currently have some form of asbestos in them. This will need extensive repair and removal work, which will continue for the foreseeable future.

Identifying Asbestos There are several types of asbestos likely to be present and the first step in controlling the risks is to identify the types of asbestos present. If you need to check your buildings for asbestos click HERE for a guide.

Even though the types of asbestos are known by their colour (blue, brown and white), Its forms cannot be identified by colour alone. The first step is to identify the materials that may contain asbestos.

• Asbestos Cement - is a grey, brittle material that contains 10-15% asbestos fibres. As well as being found in cladding and roofing materials (including guttering) it is also found in pipes and flues.Asbestos cement is still manufactured.

• Asbestos Boarding - contains up to 40% asbestos and the board can be pale grey and of varying thickness. It is no longer available in this country but was used extensively for creating walls, linings, ceiling tiles, and partitions, particularly for fire protection purposes.

• Sprayed Asbestos - can consist of up to 85% asbestos mixed in with a variety of other materials. The material is often quite loose and can easily give risk to asbestos dust. Other Materials - include certain types of textured coatings and asbestos paper used for insulating wooden boards and electrical equipment.

In all cases, the asbestos containing material may be painted, encapsulated or covered to protect it. Identifying asbestos is difficult and it may be disturbed in maintenance or refurbishment work. The only way to positively identify it is through analysis by a reputable laboratory. Samples should only be taken by suitably trained people and analysed by a laboratory that is a member of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Removal In all cases, removal of asbestos requires specialist skills and equipment. Our fully trained staff can identify, contain and safely remove all forms of asbestos from your property

Containment and repair Our workforce are fully equipped to contain, remove, and transport waste asbestos safely, quickly and effectively. Our Buildings and Maintenance divisions are then equipped to make good after removal. We consider ourselves to be a 'One Stop Shop' for asbestos treatment problems.