17:00 - 19:30, International Conference Hall
Plenary Session 6
Identification, Management and Removal of Existing Asbestos
Chairs: Shigeharu Nakachi and Anders Englund
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Andy White
Councilor, Leader of the Council, West Dunbartonshire Council, the U.K.
ABSTRACT:
This paper will present two main themes
- Discuss the impact of asbestos-related illness on a former shipyard community in Scotland.
- Examine the role of local government and consider efforts made to address asbestos problems.
HSE Statistics
The most recently available national statistics published by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) on mesothelioma mortality in Great Britain are analysed by geographical area. The report lists West Dunbartonshire as having the highest percentage of deaths from mesothelioma in Great Britain with an SMR in excess of six times higher than the average. The highest mesothelioma excesses in males tend to be those located around shipyards, ports and dockyards.
Clydebank
For almost a century the town of Clydebank was a hub of industry and famous for it's shipyards and engineering works. A product of this industrial heritage is the unwanted legacy of asbestos. This paper will outline the magnitude of the asbestos problem faced by the community in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire. It will discuss practical strategies developed locally to address these issues. Discussion will centre on whether, or not, similar strategies can be applied in other parts of the UK, and indeed, internationally.
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
We will also examine the role of local government and consider efforts made to address asbestos problems. West Dunbartonshire Council has raised the asbestos issue with all other Local Authorities in Scotland through the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). The convention promotes Scottish local government's collective interests. The COSLA report provides a summary of the key issues from the work of the asbestos Working Group, together with their key recommendations. Copies of the full report can be accessed online at www.cosla.gov.uk in the section on Executive Groups. COSLA working group on asbestos
The reasons for establishing the working group were the need for a consistent approach and pursuit of joint interests by Local Authorities in managing the legacy of asbestos in Scotland.
The remit of the working group:
- To consider the ill health, social and economic legacy of asbestos use in Scotland and local government's involvement in tackling problems arising from asbestos use.
- To review arrangements and consider Local Authority best practice in asbestos related matters.
- To make the case for the health care, social and economic burdens of asbestos to be adequately met through external funding from the Scottish Executive and (or) other sources as relevant.
Discuss the COSLA report as a starting point for a debate on the need for a comprehensive long-term strategy which is adequately funded to address the asbestos issue in the UK. This could embrace the experience in Clydebank which developed a multi-agency approach involving asbestos campaign groups, all levels of government, trade unions, health experts and other agencies.
The COSLA report examined a number of asbestos matters in some detail; albeit from a Scottish perspective. There are a number of significant initiatives currently taking place throughout the UK, in Europe and indeed on the wider international stage. In order to maximise successes which may have already been achieved in key areas joint working and shared experience could see improvements in a number of matters. These may include mesothelioma research, welfare benefits, civil litigation, health services and a range of resource issues, including asbestos in schools. This may lead us closer to the long-term strategy which is required to effectively deal with the international asbestos epidemic in all of its manifestations.