Asbestos is a category 1 carcinogen, meaning there is no safe level of exposure. The substance, which for decades was used as a building material (see box below), is the main cause of mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly cancer in the tissue that surrounds the lungs, heart and intestines.
Patients with mesothelioma have an average life expectancy of around 12 to 18 months after they have been diagnosed, according to Cancer Research UK.
But many people won’t have realised they were at risk – because inhaling even just a small number of asbestos fibres can trigger it, and it can take years or even decades for the disease to develop.
Shockingly, the UK has one of the highest rates of deaths from asbestos in the world. While the majority of those affected worked in the building industry (see Malcolm’s story, right), scores of firefighters have developed the disease from tackling blazes, and asbestos is also found throughout hospitals and schools.
While all forms of asbestos were banned in 1999, more than 90 per cent of hospitals still contain it, as do 80 per cent of schools.
Many of these buildings are now crumbling with age, with a report by the Joint Union Asbestos Committee predicting a tsunami of deaths of teachers, support staff and pupils.
Domestic dwellings – ie homes – also contain asbestos: it was found in 73 per cent of the social housing analysed in a 2022 report.
The same proportion of privately-owned and rented housing were likely to be affected, according to an expert report produced for two trade bodies, the National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants and the Asbestos Testing and Consulting Association.
Worryingly, 70 per cent of the asbestos examined was damaged, which means it can become ‘friable’, ie fibres can break off and become airborne, so anyone can breathe them in.
The same report showed that 30 per cent of the damaged asbestos was in the highest-risk category, meaning that it had deteriorated so much that it posed a threat to life and needed to be dealt with or urgently removed.
But the cost of removing asbestos from homes using contractors can be prohibitively expensive.
And so some homeowners will attempt to remove it themselves.
Others may not realise the material they’re taking out of their homes is actually asbestos.
And now a Good Health investigation has found the majority of councils that operate household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) allow people to dispose of asbestos from home renovations at their facilities – these are the same facilities where families drop off their garden waste or everyday recycling.
Depending on the location, the local authorities overseeing these centres are known as unitary authorities (62 in England), county councils (21 in England), or metropolitan councils (36 in England – these are in major cities, with ten in Greater Manchester, for instance) – or London borough councils (32 in England).
Across these councils, asbestos policies vary (you can find out what your local authority allows by scanning the QR code below). In England, 81 per cent of unitary authorities; 71 per cent of county councils; and 56 per cent of metropolitan councils permit the practice.
A separate 28 per cent of metropolitan councils permit householders to drop it off at a more specialist waste facility – although these are often located on the same site as the HWRC.
(Where councils don’t allow for a drop-off or arrange for collection, householders must use a licensed hazardous waste contractor.)
In London, councils are far more cautious, with only four permitting household drop-off (Islington, Havering, Newham and Enfield).
The picture in the other three UK nations varies. In Wales, similarly to England, 78 per cent (17 of 22) of unitary councils permit drop off at HWRCs. Residents in Swansea can arrange for collection via the council.
In Scotland, only 25 per cent of councils allow the practice (eight out of 32). A further seven permit asbestos to be dropped at specialist waste transfer facilities – three of which are on the same site or very near HWRCs.
In Northern Ireland, none of the 11 councils permit residents to drop it off – although Belfast council will collect from the residence, with clear instructions for householders on how to bag it up.
Alarmingly, the rules that the councils that do allow asbestos drop-off have for how the public should remove asbestos and bag it vary – potentially exposing householders and the facility workers to risk.
This is different if asbestos is found in non-domestic buildings.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has strict exposure limits which are monitored through air sampling if asbestos is suspected of releasing fibres or is due to be removed.
The sampling happens before the work begins, during removal and after removal.
The method is to count fibres in the air. Employers have to adhere to these regulations and breaches can mean severe penalties, from fines to imprisonment.
The regulations require specialised equipment, including masks with filters, gloves, boots, eye protection and disposable overalls.
The Daily Mail’s campaign, Asbestos: Britain’s Hidden Killer, has been calling on the Government to introduce a 40-year phased removal of asbestos from all public buildings
Workers must be trained in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, with training for working with higher-risk asbestos, and contractors have to be licensed for higher-risk work. Landfills are also regulated with strict rules.
But when it comes to asbestos waste in local recycling centres, there are no HSE rules for householders – which experts say is profoundly worrying.
For instance, on its website Oxfordshire County Council advises householders they can handle some products by hand, without mentioning gloves or masks.
It states: ‘Cement-bonded asbestos (such as that found in pipes or garage roofing) can be removed by hand, though care must be taken not to breathe in any fibres.’
In fact, experts disagree on this assessment of cement-bonded asbestos (more on this later).
At Hornsey Street Reuse and Recycling Centre (RRC), in the London borough of Islington, a bright yellow asbestos container stands by the vehicle entrance, so all local residents using the centre have to drive past it to park.
Staff – who guide drivers where to park – may be standing near this asbestos container, which is next to a drop-off point for another recycling container and the first-aid point for staff. They do not routinely wear masks.
Experts warn that this kind of situation could result in accidental asbestos exposure for householders themselves, other residents visiting the HWRC and workers.
Charles Pickles spent more than two decades working in the hazardous materials industry before he initiated the campaign Airtight On Asbestos.
Reacting to Good Health’s findings, he said: ‘Asbestos in the home is completely unregulated – it’s a mess. [Asbestos regulations] should be extended to homes to protect homeowners and their families.’
The HSE told Good Health that it ‘does not regulate what homeowners do with their asbestos – however, unsafe practice that could put workers at HWRC sites at risk is important and guidance does acknowledge this by advising HWRCs to have procedures in place to deal with unwrapped waste that arrives on site. The dangers of exposure to asbestos are well known.’
Charles Pickles described this as ‘complacent and dangerous’, adding: ‘You cannot presume that the homeowner knows of the dangers of asbestos – or what it looks like or where it might be.’
Steve Sadley, chief executive of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association, the leading trade association, concurs, adding: ‘If untrained residents attempt to remove and transport asbestos to waste disposal sites without proper precautions, they risk releasing fibres that expose themselves, other visitors and the workers handling the waste to serious health risks.’
An argument often put forward for allowing domestic disposal of asbestos is that it prevents fly-tipping.
The North London Waste Authority told Good Health: ‘The asbestos service at Hornsey Street RRC provides an accessible and safe route for residents to dispose of asbestos.
‘In providing this service, we take a proactive and responsible approach to a dangerous waste stream, reducing the risk of other, more harmful forms of disposal such as fly-tipping. Illegal dumping of asbestos remains a challenge nationally, with 4,064 incidents reported in 2023-24.’
A Good Health investigation has found many councils that operate household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) allow people to dispose of asbestos from home renovations
This is indeed a real problem. In April, for instance, North Somerset Council reported a major incident on a bridleway popular with walkers as well as horse riders.
The North London Waste Authority said the Environment Agency inspects the site as part of its permit conditions, adding: ‘we take the matter of asbestos handling seriously… the programme of measures in place at Hornsey Street RRC is rigorous and reliably executed.’
It added: ‘Staff working at Hornsey Street RRC wear face masks for specific activities where there is increased risk of inhaling airborne substances, such as when cleaning the site.
‘Asbestos is removed from the site by removing the enclosed skip and replacing it with a new one – with no need for any manual intervention. This is done by a specialist contractor.’
Yet Jonathan Grant, one of the co-authors of the 2022 report on domestic asbestos, told Good Health: ‘My view is that householders should not be carrying out any work involving asbestos.
‘The reality is that most people will not have the knowledge or experience to accurately assess whether the materials they are dealing with present a risk.
‘The safest approach is always to avoid disturbing asbestos altogether.’
Indeed, even ‘safe’ asbestos may not be what it seems, suggests Graham Gould, chairman of the asbestos management company Thermal Recycling.
‘People think chrysotile [a type of asbestos often woven into cement because it is flexible or for insulation because it is heat-resistant] is safe – but it is just less harmful. I can’t understand how councils, which have a duty of care, can accept householders bringing asbestos to them.’
Craig Evans, chief operating officer at the UK Asbestos Training Association, expressed concern about ‘the lack of oversight in how asbestos is removed and transported by members of the public’, adding that the organisation ‘would never recommend that anyone removes asbestos without the correct training, protective equipment and understanding of the risks involved’.
And the idea that householders could transport this material in their cars is also deeply alarming, adds Graham Gould: ‘It should be obvious that having asbestos in your family car and taking it over to a recycling centre shouldn’t be happening. Councils accepting it at normal recycling centres are encouraging householders to do that.’
Charles Pickles agrees. He says: ‘Domestic asbestos waste is hazardous waste and should not be taken to local tips by the public. It should be handled by professionals.’
It’s a concern that a few councils share. Wolverhampton City Council is one of the minority in England that does not permit householders to dispose of this hazardous material.
Andy Wain, a former HWRC supervisor for Wolverhampton, told Good Health: ‘It’s surprising that the Environment Agency has licensed councils to do this.
‘The general public is not very asbestos-aware. And you don’t discover the dangers of asbestos exposure until 20 years later.’
The Local Government Association said it did not comment on individual cases.
The Environment Agency (EA) said that low-risk asbestos-containing material can be removed by householders, but it recommends that this is done by trained professionals.
A spokesman said: ‘All permitted facilities regulated by the EA are subject to ongoing inspection and assessment.’
Oxfordshire County Council told Good Health: ‘There are times when householders may carry out work on their own property.
‘However, HSE advises that people should not attempt to repair or remove asbestos materials themselves unless they are competent to do so and understand the precautions required. Where removal of lower-risk materials such as cement-bonded asbestos is being considered, householders should follow HSE guidance and may wish to seek advice from Environmental Health.’
But campaigners say it is time for the Government to take proactive steps to protect householders from the risks of asbestos.
Liz Darlison, founder and chief executive of the charity Mesothelioma UK, says: ‘The Government should be leading on helping standardise approaches across the UK. Confusion and difficulty accessing safe disposal leads to increased exposure to this deadly material.’
Go to mesothelioma.uk.com
While I still have time, I want to warn others of the danger
Malcolm Ledgar, 66, worked as a joiner for 13 years and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October 2024. The grandfather of five lives in Nottingham with wife Nicola, 58, a mobile hairdresser. He has a son and two step-daughters. He says:
When I hear a friend is about to do some home renovations I’ll always ask: ‘Have you double checked what’s in the walls?’
So many homes are full of asbestos – I know, as I was in the building trade for years and back in the Seventies and Eighties we used it all the time.
And I’m now paying for it. I was preparing for what should have been one of the proudest days of my life – walking my stepdaughter, Molly, down the aisle – when I got the news that changed everything.
I’d been having cramping back pains for a few months and the doctors were 90 per cent sure it was mesothelioma just from a scan, especially when they heard I had been in the building trade.
My first question was: ‘How long have I got?’ Initially, the consultant didn’t want to say, but when I pressed he finally said: ‘Six to 12 months.’
I was stunned. I have never smoked, kept myself a sensible weight and stayed active. Just as I reached a point where I could reap the rewards of a life of hard work, asbestos was about to cut it short.
Malcolm Ledgar, 66, worked as a joiner for 13 years and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October 2024. The grandfather of five lives in Nottingham with wife Nicola, 58
Nicola and I kept the news to ourselves until after Molly’s wedding. I told my son, Adam, first; we both cried our eyes out.
I became an apprentice builder at 15. Back then, we were working with asbestos without a second thought – walk down any residential street with older properties and the houses will be full of it.
We used it as fire protection in between walls in homes, or to lag pipes, as insulation in lofts or round the fascias.
We used it a lot in kitchen walls – and I wish people would think about that before they start tearing old kitchens out.
One of my jobs as an apprentice was to sweep up: I must have been sweeping clouds of asbestos dust into the air.
Learning about the cancer was a shock, but it was news I’d been fearing for years.
I left the building trade in the late-Eighties, but in 2000 I heard a former colleague had died of lung cancer in his 40s. I presumed it was because he was a smoker, but a few years later another former colleague died from lung cancer – again very young.
That’s when I got an inkling it might have been connected to our work. By then we also knew more about the dangers of handling asbestos.
So I went to my GP in 2009 and they agreed to send me for yearly lung scans. But they were always clear – and during Covid I got out of the habit of booking one. Then in the summer of 2024 I started to get cramps in my back on my right-hand side, and it nudged me to book a scan.
Immediately after, the radiographer asked if I had time to have a further CT check of my upper body ‘as a precaution’.
A few days later, I got a call asking me to come in and that’s when I was told it looked like mesothelioma – they said the asbestos had probably entered my body when I was 15 to 25 and lain dormant all that time.
I was told immunotherapy could slow the progression, and I started on this in January 2025 – six infusions with three weeks in between each one. The treatment was fine but the cramp in my right side was becoming agony.
A scan after my final infusion showed it hadn’t worked and the cancer was now stage 4 and was pressing on nerves – hence the pain. That was panic time.
I was offered chemotherapy – the side-effects floored me, but I am stubborn and I want to hang on for a lot longer yet.
It was worth it – a scan showed my cancer had shrunk by 10 per cent. I’ve had another round, and am due a scan next month.
Despite painkillers, the pain is constant. I’m more comfortable lying down but I don’t want to spend what time I have left in bed all day.
I’m also on steroids for my breathing: Some days I’m so breathless it can take 15 minutes to get up the stairs. A lung infection almost carried me off last year, so I’m on antibiotics to prevent another one.
I know I’m on a downward slope – it’s a question of how you slow the slide downhill and I’m not giving in.
I’ve promised to make my wife’s big birthday in two years’ time – we drive to our favourite spot in Cornwall as often as we can, and when I’m breathing in the sea air I think I can do it. Sometimes I’m not so sure.
Asbestos is a sleeping giant – houses are full of the stuff and we need to make people more aware of the risks: Just going into the loft could expose you.
At the very least, I would beg you use a mask for doing DIY. But for peace of mind get an expert in to check there’s no asbestos lurking in your home.
It’s too late for me, but it’s not for others.
As told to LUCY ELKINS
Where you might find it in your house
Depending on the type, asbestos can be white, brown or blue; its texture can be fluffy, coarse or with very fine fibres.
Using asbestos was completely banned in the UK in 1999 – but it may be present in any property built or renovated before then, especially if prior to 1985, when bans on brown and blue asbestos came in.
Inside the house, asbestos may be found in insulating boards around boilers and bathroom cisterns, fuseboards, in floor and ceiling tiles, bath panels, around pipes for lagging and in airing cupboards and window panels.
Outside, it may have been used in soffits and fascias – the boards that finish the edge of a roof to keep it waterproof and ventilated – roofing felt, asbestos roof tiles and cement panels, asbestos sheeting and guttering, and downpipes.
If it’s intact and undisturbed, it’s unlikely that fibres will be released – which makes it lower-risk as long as you do not touch it, work with it or damage it.
Advice from the UK’s Health and Safety Executive is clear – if you are drilling, sawing, sanding or knocking down in a building that might have asbestos, get an accredited asbestos survey – even a respirator mask may not be enough to protect you. For further information go to gov.uk and search ‘asbestos general information’.
