Thanks for this feedback and I would like to refer readers to the Occupational and Environmental Diseases Association, OEDA, which would disagree with the statement that white asbestos is harmless. http://www.oeda.demon.co.uk/
I do not puport to be an expert of the science myself, but I will forward the link shere to Nancy Tait of OEDA for her attention. I know from my conversations with her that she is very concerned about what seems to be a raft of claims that white asbestos is harmless. Suggestions that the licenced asbestos removal industry is corrupt are often used to back up these claims.
While there may be some truth in claims that dangers have been exaggerated and that asbestos has been unecessarily removed, often at ridiculous expense, claims that certain kiinds of asbestos previously considered harmful are now 'safe' or 'low risk' are still open to debate - for example the HSE now says removing asbestos-containing coatings like Artex is a low risk activity and does not need to be licenced, a claim disputed intelligently by the asebstos removal industry and some campaigners, who forced the HSE to further its research. I wrote an article on this subject for Environmental Health News recently.
While it is important that consumers are not unecessarily overcharged for asbestos removal, that people are not unduly panicked and the sector is not overregulated, we must be very careful about saying that asbestos of any kind is harmless unless the research is absolutely watertight, checked and balanced.
Perhaps it is time for the government to look at this problem again, bring the debate into the open and lay down an authoritiative line. This is overdue as a mind boggling legacy means millions of people are still exposed to asbestos every day, at work, in the home
and in the street, but the problem is often actively brushed under the carpet by local authorities and confusion and disaffection abounds.
