Part 1 · Understanding asbestos and mesothelioma
The bans and what's still in our buildings
The headline dates are 1985 for brown and blue asbestos, and 1999 for white. The legal framework that still governs asbestos in UK workplaces and most public buildings is the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The duty to manage asbestos applies to non-domestic premises and the common parts of domestic premises; the dutyholder is whoever controls maintenance or repair of those premises — a landlord, a school’s responsible body, an NHS trust, a council.
What this means in practice for you in 2026:
- If you live in a home built before 2000, assume asbestos is present somewhere until proven otherwise. Common locations: Artex ceilings, vinyl floor tiles and their adhesive, soffits, garage roofs, boiler flues, eaves gutters, fuse boxes.
- If you work in a pre-2000 building, the dutyholder must hold an asbestos management plan. You can ask to see it.
- Drilling, sanding, cutting or breaking asbestos-containing materials is the main risk. Material left alone, painted and undamaged, is usually low risk.
- If you find or suspect asbestos at home, do not disturb it. Phone a licensed asbestos contractor. Your council may run a removal scheme.
We’ve added this chapter because patients almost always ask: ‘Could I be putting my family at risk now?’ The honest answer is that mesothelioma is not contagious. The risk to your household today is from the asbestos in your building, not from you.