A new National Asbestos Taskforce has been established, uniting a coalition of partners committed to the complete removal of asbestos from the UK built environment. This statement is issued to coincide with International Workers’ Memorial Day/World Day for Safety and Health at Work, 2026.
The Taskforce includes representatives from the asbestos management industry, trade unions, charities and campaign groups underlining that there is a shared determination across UK society to address one of the country’s most enduring and preventable public health risks.
Despite a ban on the use of asbestos in 1999, an estimated six million tonnes of the deadly material remains embedded in buildings across the UK, including schools, hospitals, and other public and private infrastructures. As these buildings deteriorate and require maintenance over time, the risk of asbestos exposure to the public continues to be evident.
Asbestos remains the largest cause of occupational death in the UK, responsible each year for thousands of fatalities. In 2023, 2,218 mesothelioma deaths were recorded, with a larger number of additional deaths because of other asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer.
Asbestos is associated with the UK’s industrial legacy and often dismissed as an old man’s disease. However, there is growing evidence that asbestos deaths are rising among females and younger people. White collar workers, nurses, teachers, and former pupils are being increasingly exposed to this deadly substance.
The National Asbestos Taskforce has been formed to challenge this reality with evidence-based arguments. It advocates for a government‑mandated, phased programme for the removal of all asbestos from UK buildings, with early action focused on high‑risk or damaged asbestos materials.
Its objective is clear: to secure a future in which no individual is harmed by preventable exposure to asbestos.
Christine Emmett, Chair of the first National Asbestos Taskforce meeting said,
“The UK has relied too long on the assumption that asbestos can be managed indefinitely. Those who work with it know deterioration and exposure are inevitable. This Taskforce exists to bring evidence and realism to the debate and to make the case for a phased programme of removal that genuinely reduces risk.”
As part of its early engagement with the UK Government, representatives met with Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, on Wednesday 1 April during Global Asbestos Awareness Week 2026. At the meeting they discussed the ongoing impact of asbestos exposure and the need for a more ambitious, long‑term national approach.
The Minister, Sir Stephen Timms MP, said:
“I am encouraged to see organisations from across charities, industry, and campaign groups coming together around the shared challenge of tackling asbestos. The Government and HSE have a programme of action already underway, including changing the law, sponsoring new research, inspecting buildings, and running public awareness campaigns reaching hundreds of thousands of people. We are committed to making British workplaces safe from asbestos, and building the evidence base to allow us to plan properly for its removal in a responsible way.”
Further details on the Taskforce’s composition, priorities and engagement with government and regulators will be announced in due course.
The Independent Asbestos Task Force includes members from industry, unions, charities and wider campaign groups, including:
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Photo credit: Stephen Timms ©House of Commons (photo released under an Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) licence – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
