1 July 2011
Today marks the British Lung Foundation’s annual Action Mesothelioma Day and DIYers are being warned about the dangers of handling asbestos in their home.
Nearly fourteen million homes were built when asbestos materials were being used1 in construction. Many of these houses still contain asbestos today and if it is disturbed it can cause the incurable chest cancer, Mesothelioma.
The British Lung Foundation is urging DIYers to visit lunguk.org/actionmeso and ensure they know how to identify asbestos-containing materials before they do any odd jobs around their home. This small step could help to prevent them from developing Mesothelioma, which kills one person every five hours in the UK2 .
The British Lung Foundation has been working with celebrities to get autographs on common DIY products. The products will be auctioned off later this year and proceeds will go to the asbestos awareness campaign.
Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, said:
“Many people think asbestos is a thing of the past but this hidden killer is still lurking in many British homes. Before you take a sledge hammer to the wall, sand your artex ceiling or change your boiler, a quick visit to our website will help make sure you’re not exposing yourself to danger.”
A series of top tips has been developed by the British Lung Foundation, which offer advice on what to do if people think they have asbestos in their home.
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For further press enquiries, please contact Hayley Richardson on 0207 688 5565/ or Tova Turkel on 0207 688 5564/
1 http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1473575.xls
2 http://www.leeds.ac.uk/meso/meso.htm
