212 WELB schools contain asbestos

OVER two hundred schools in the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) currently contain asbestos with the education authority estimating it would cost £480k to remove all of the material.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th May 2011, 11:51 BST

In a statment WELB confirmed 170 primary schools, 30 post-primary schools, seven nursery schools and five special schools contain the potentially cancer-inducing fibre.

WELB estimates removing the asbestos from all the schools would cost £480k.

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A spokesperson for WELB said: “There are no materials in the schools rated as being in the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘high risk’ category. None contain crocidolite.”

She continued: “The board has advised the Department of Education that an estimated cost for the removal of all asbestos from schools would be £480,000.

“Currently any costs associated with asbestos removal is treated as high priority and funded from the current maintenance budget.

“As part of the board’s Asbestos Management Plan, asbestos is continued to be managed in-house by qualified board officers.”

No-one had been exposed to asbestos during surveying, maintenance or removal of asbestos and no legal action regarding this has been taken against WELB, the spokesperson said.

Related topics:Health and Safety ExecutiveDepartment of Education