The Greater Manchester Asbestos Support Group met on 5th July in recognition of Action Mesothelioma Day 2024.
Action Mesothelioma Day is held on the first Friday in July each year and is a day where anyone affected by mesothelioma can join together to raise awareness of this preventable disease.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer and is caused by exposure to asbestos, even low-level exposures to asbestos.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which is known for its heat resistant properties and was widely used throughout various different trades because of this. In Manchester in particular, Turner Brothers Asbestos Company manufactured various asbestos products at its site on Trafford Park, supplying products such as asbestos cement sheets which were often used for roof and wall construction in many industrial and agricultural buildings.
During the 1960s the UK was the largest importer of asbestos worldwide, and in light of Manchester’s industrial history, asbestos products were used widely in the various textile factories, electrical and chemical engineering sites as well as within the construction and building industries.
Whilst asbestos was banned completely in the UK in 1999, asbestos is still present in many of our homes, workplaces, schools and hospitals.
It is often thought that asbestos is safe if it isn’t disturbed, however asbestos materials inevitably deteriorate over time, putting a new generation at risk of developing mesothelioma.
The Greater Manchester Asbestos Support Group joined together to remember those who have sadly passed away because of mesothelioma, and also raised awareness of the crisis posed by asbestos continuing to be present within our public buildings.
