Parliamentary Launch of Asbestos Information CIC's National Strategy Report

3rd April 2025

Earlier this morning, during Global Asbestos Awareness Week, Asbestos Information CIC presented its comprehensive proposal for a national asbestos strategy at a parliamentary launch event in Portcullis House. Rob Southall, manager of the Asbestos Testing and Consulting Association, attended the event along with Steve Sadley, CEO of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association, as industry professionals came together to address one of the UK's most pressing public health challenges.

The report directly addressed the two core recommendations from the 2022 Department for Work and Pensions inquiry into the Health and Safety Executive's management of asbestos: developing a national database of asbestos in buildings and creating a strategy for its phased removal.

A Data-Driven Approach to an Ongoing Challenge

Despite the UK's ban on asbestos use since 1999, the country continues to have one of the highest rates of mesothelioma deaths globally, with over 5,000 asbestos-related fatalities annually, accounting for 40% of the UK's occupational cancer cases. The report revealed alarming statistics, including data showing that almost 3 million asbestos items were identified in the dataset, with the highest risk group (E-G) accounting for nearly 26% of all identified asbestos. At current removal rates, addressing this issue could take up to 100 years.

Even more concerning, the report found that 71% of recorded asbestos items had some damage, and almost 30% of high-risk items suffered moderate or significant damage, suggesting that asbestos management was ineffective.

Central to the proposal is the introduction of an Asbestos Information Certificate (AIC), modelled after Energy Performance Certificates. This innovative approach would provide clear, accessible information about asbestos risk in buildings while forming the foundation of a comprehensive national database.

A Collaborative Industry Initiative

The strength of this initiative lies in its collaborative approach. Today's launch featured representation from across the asbestos sector, including ARCA (Asbestos Removal Contractors Association), ATAC (Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association), and AMI (Asbestos Management Institute), alongside representatives from UKAS-accredited inspection bodies—all founding members of Asbestos Information CIC. This comprehensive industry participation reflects the broad professional commitment to improving asbestos management standards nationwide. Industry professionals have seen firsthand how this coordinated approach could transform asbestos management across the UK.

The report's analysis of over 7 million lines of data from nearly 400,000 properties represents the most extensive dataset on asbestos ever compiled in the UK. This unprecedented collaboration demonstrates the industry's commitment to prioritising public health.

Strategic Implementation

The report outlined a five-step approach to building a national asbestos strategy:

  1. Identifying properties likely to contain asbestos
  2. Rationalising data collection and terminology
  3. Presenting data through the Asbestos Information Certificate
  4. Implementing the AIC across sectors, beginning with education
  5. Planning for future phased removal, prioritising buildings housing vulnerable populations

With an estimated £50 billion maintenance backlog across UK public buildings, increasing by £800 million per annum, the event emphasised the critical importance of integrating asbestos management into broader infrastructure and Net Zero planning.

This morning's parliamentary launch represented a vital step toward addressing this ongoing public health issue through collaborative, data-driven solutions. Attendees were pleased to see the engagement from policymakers, industry professionals, and stakeholders at the event, which demonstrated strong support for this essential initiative.

View report here