AT least 16 schools in the Bromsgrove district still contain asbestos – despite it killing around 2,000 people in the UK every year, the Advertiser can reveal.

A Freedom of Information request to Worcestershire County Council uncovered a list of 131 community schools across Worcestershire that still hold the toxic material, not including academies.

In the Bromsgrove district, this includes:

  • Aston Fields Middle School
  • Belbroughton Church of England Primary and Nursery School
  • Beoley First School
  • Blackwell First School
  • Catshill First School and Nursery
  • Catshill Middle School
  • Chadsgrove School and Specialist Sports College
  • Charford First School
  • Dodford First School
  • Fairfield First School
  • Hagley Primary School
  • Holywell Primary and Nursery School
  • Lickey End First School
  • Lickey Hills Primary School
  • Millfields First School
  • Stoke Prior First School

But the council has insisted that removing the material in some schools would entail demolishing the building altogether, with the only possible response to leave the danger contained in the structure.

A council spokesman said: “Asbestos was formerly in common use as a building material, typically found in cement boards or sheets, roofing materials or as insulation. Asbestos, when bonded in cement, is relatively stable but becomes dangerous where it gets damaged or the fibres are disturbed.

"The council has had a programme of asbestos surveys and removal, encapsulation and remediation works for many years and this is under continual review. Although the majority of friable asbestos has been dealt with there is still a legacy of asbestos in places that are difficult to access or are part of the structure of the building; removing the latter would probably entail demolition and rebuild.

"It is and it remains Worcestershire County Council policy to remove asbestos materials that are likely to be damaged or disturbed and this is routinely done during major refurbishment and maintenance works.”

The council emphasised it is complying with asbestos regulations and claims there have been no incidents of asbestos exposure in Bromsgrove in the last five years.

One Bromsgrove councillor described the council’s refusal to remove the ‘silent killer’ from some schools a ‘gross dereliction of duty to children and school staff’

Cllr Peter McDonald, Labour group leader at the county council and district councillor for Rubery North, said: “The council is aware that 342 schools are riddled with asbestos, putting teachers and students at risk from asbestosis.

“Although, provided the asbestos containing products are in good condition and are not likely to be disturbed during the normal use of the building, the recommended action is to leave the material as it is and manage it in place. This has been the generally accepted practice in the past, but was always seen as a temporary measure.”

He added: “This is not a problem of the past but a problem of the present and something needs to be done now.”

Asbestos-related diseases rarely show symptoms until between 25 and 50 years after the person was exposed to it.