Asbestos water tanks were widely used in Easingwold from the 1930s right up until the material was banned in 1999. This means that hundreds of thousands of water tanks were installed and used in domestic and commercial buildings for around seventy years!
Although the risks were suspected many decades ago, it took until almost the year 2000 for the authorities to take positive action and ban the use of asbestos in building materials and the construction industry.
Because of the hazards involved, professionals like Asbestos SOS are employed to remove asbestos-containing materials safely and eliminate the risks to public health.
Our service includes the removal of old asbestos water tanks in Easingwold (asbestos water tank removal), as many thousands are still present in homes and industrial sites, even if they are not still in use.
While the UK government's stance is that asbestos water tanks do not present a health risk, this is disputed by certain medical experts, particularly in the US.
It's fair to say that the evidence is inconclusive, but there is a possibility that asbestos fibres can remain in the body and migrate to the internal organs. Studies in Norway and Italy have suggested that ingesting* These fibres can increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancer or mesothelioma, and in some areas of the UK, drinking water contains around 1 million asbestos fibres per litre. This is due to the presence of asbestos pipes as well as your water tank.
*as opposed to inhaling them
However, most of the fibres in the UK water supply are less than one micro-metre (one-millionth of a metre!) in length and should pass through the body without causing harm.
More research is clearly needed, but there are no routine tests to monitor asbestos content in water and there are no guidelines as to minimum safe levels.
As professionals in the asbestos removal business, Asbestos SOS believes that the best solution, for now, is to eradicate the risk through careful management and safe removal/disposal of all asbestos materials.
Our dedicated team advanced techniques and unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility ensure that with us you're not just removing asbestos but also securing a safer healthier future for your space.