MORE than 230 public buildings across the district still contain asbestos, research by a law firm has revealed.

Figures were provided by 20 local authorities as part of new research undertaken by Irwin Mitchell, which supports clients affected by exposure to the hazardous substance.

Many of those are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a terminal cancer of the lining of the lungs, or asbestosis, a chronic lung disease, as a consequence of their exposure.

Data supplied by Bradford Council through a Freedom of Information request identified it as the local authority with the seventh-highest number of public buildings containing asbestos, with a total of 238.

Irwin Mitchell has supported several clients from across the Bradford district whose exposure occurred in public buildings.

When the company contacted local authorities, in response it was revealed that 4,533 public buildings across the 20 councils, including Bradford, still contain asbestos.

Schools are the largest category of buildings affected, making up almost a quarter of the total number.

The figures also show that only 291 buildings across the 20 local authorities in question had asbestos removed from them in the last five years, but that 3,263 had had a survey undertaken within the same timeframe.

A spokesperson for Bradford Council says: “We comply with all the relevant laws relating to asbestos and have robust policies and procedures in place to deal with it.

“We have an asbestos management unit at the council which provides each building under its control with a plan that makes sure the material is checked, managed and kept in good condition so that no one is exposed to asbestos dust or fibres in any council building.

“We also train all our operational staff and managers in asbestos awareness and before any intrusive work is done on any of our properties we carry out a refurbishment and demolition survey.

“Any local schools that contain asbestos have been given clear guidance on how to manage the material in order to protect pupils, visitors and staff.

“Although the use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, a significant amount of it remains in thousands of buildings across the UK.”

Adrian Budgen, an asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Most people associate asbestos with historical exposure in factories or construction work, but these latest figures highlight the extensive risk still posed by the substance across the UK in everyday buildings used by the public."