More than 130 buildings owned by Wirral Council - including 55 schools- currently contain toxic asbestos.
The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request and highlights the scale of issue facing the local authority as it continues to manage the toxic substance 24 years after it was banned.
Asbestos is a material that was used in construction to strengthen, insulate, and fireproof materials but it was banned in all forms in the United Kingdom by 1999.
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If inhaled, asbestos fibres can become trapped in the body and lead to diseases like lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma has a 2% survival rate.
Around 5,000 people are still killed by asbestos every year in the UK including 20 tradesmen every week according to government agency the Health and Safety Executive. Despite the ban, it’s believed 1.5m buildings across the UK still contain it.
The council-owned buildings containing asbestos on the Wirral include Birkenhead and Wallasey Town Halls, Woodchurch Leisure Centre, Birkenhead Market, The Oval Sports centre, a number of libraries, and cemeteries.
Removing asbestos that is in a safe condition goes against current regulations but Wirral Council said it carries out regular inspections to assess the condition of any asbestos in its buildings.
It said: “Asbestos is only removed if the risk is high and could affect people's health or through a refurbishment plan or because of demolition.”
A spokesperson for Wirral Council added: “Wirral Council has a large number of properties in which asbestos was installed prior to 2000. As these properties are refurbished and developed, asbestos management planning is required to ensure they are safe for building users. The council has commissioned a new contractor to support continued compliance of Health and Safety Legislation.”
In April 2023, Wirral Council awarded a two year contract to Envirocall Ltd to deal with any asbestos removal over the next two years which is expected to cost around £75,000 a year and taken out of the council’s capital budget.
The local authority said: “As these properties are refurbished and developed, asbestos treatment in the form of encapsulation and removal is necessary to ensure a safe workplace for employees and non-employees.
“The tender covers the works required to address emergencies involving the release of unidentified asbestos fibres, as well as planned refurbishment works with identified asbestos. The tender ensures asbestos is managed correctly and accordingly in line with current Health and Safety Legislation.”
A full list of the buildings containing asbestos:
Barnston Primary School
Bidston Avenue Primary School
Black Horse Hill Infant School
Black Horse Hill Junior School
Brackenwood Infant School
Brookdale Primary School
Brookhurst Primary School
Castleway Primary School
Cathcart Street Primary School
Clare Mount Specialist Sports College
Devonshire Park Primary School
Eastway Primary School
Elleray Park School (Satellite)
Fender Primary School
Ganneys Meadow Nursery School & Family Centre
Gilbrook School
Greasby Infant School
Greenleas Primary School
Grove Street Primary School
Hayfield School
Heswall Primary School
Heygarth Primary School
Hillside Primary School
Irby Primary School
Kilgarth School
Kingsway Primary School
Lingham Primary School
Liscard Primary School
Manor Primary School
Meadowside School
Mendell Primary School
Mersey Park Primary School
Mount Primary School
Orrets Meadow School
Overchurch Infant School
Overchurch Junior School
Pensby High School
Prenton Primary School
Raeburn Primary School
Riverside Primary School
Sandbrook Primary School
Somerville Nursery School
Somerville Primary School
St George's Primary School (Lower Site)
St George's Primary School (Upper Site)
The Co-op Academy Woodslee
The Mosslands School
The Observatory School - Leasowe Campus
The Observatory School - Vyner Campus
Thingwall Primary School
Thornton Hough Primary School
Well Lane Primary School
Wirral Hospitals School
Woodchurch Road Primary School
Woodlands Primary School
Arrowe Country Park
Bebington Cemetery
Bebington Civic Centre
Birkenhead Central Library
Birkenhead Market
Birkenhead Town Hall (Grade II*)
Bromborough Civic Centre and Library
Brotherton Park and Dibbinsdale Local Nature Reserve
Central Park
Cheshire Lines Building
Cleveland Street Depot
Conway Centre (Grade II)
Dale Farm (site of)
Devon Gardens Resource Centre
Dock Road Depot
Eastham Centre
Eastham Country Park
Eastham Library
Ebenezer Street 12-14 Workshops
Frankby Cemetery
Garden Lane Public Conveniences
Gautby Road Play & Community Centre
Hamilton Building
Harrison Park
Heswall Centre
Heswall Library
Highcroft Day Centre
Higher Bebington Library
Hilbre Island Local Nature Reserve
B009 Holborn Square Industrial Estate Unit 11
B006 Holborn Square Industrial Estate Unit 06
B007 Holborn Square Industrial Estate Unit 07
B008 Holborn Square Industrial Estate Unit 09
B001 Holborn Square Industrial Estate Unit 01
B003 Holborn Square Industrial Estate Unit 03
Hoylake Library
Hoylake Municipal Golf Course
Irby Library
Ivy Farm Depot (site of)
B003 Kelvin Court Unit 03
B001 Kelvinside Unit 10
B002 Kelvinside Unit 12
B003 Kelvinside Unit 14
Kings Parade Look-Out Station
Landican Cemetery
Leasowe Recreation Centre
Liscard Municipal Building
Mayfields Playing Fields
Moreton Library
Newton Park
Pilgrim Street Arts and Drama Centre
Plymyard Playing Fields
Poll Hill Bowling Green
Prenton Library
Ridgewood Park
Sandford Street 5
Saughall Grange Recreation Ground
Seacombe Library
Solar Campus
Tam O Shanter Urban Farm
Taylor Street Tram Shed (Wirral Transport Museum)
The Grange
The Oval Sports Centre
The Village 65
Treasury Building
Upton Library
Wallacre Recreation Ground
Wallasey Central Library
Wallasey Town Hall (Grade II)
Wallasey Village Library
Warren Farm Depot
West Kirby Concourse
Williamson Art Gallery & Museum (Grade II)
B033 Wirral Business Centre Unit 30
B034 Wirral Business Centre Unit 31
B036 Wirral Business Centre Unit 33
Wirral Country Park
Woodchurch Leisure Centre
Woodhead Street Public Conveniences
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