Asbestos factory adventurers highlight public policy failings

Around 5,000 people continue to die of asbestos related diseases each year in Britain – yet trespassers are continuing to break into the former Turner Brothers’ asbestos factory in Rochdale. The repeated break-ins have led to public health warnings, particularly to ‘urban explorers’, who film themselves going into abandoned buildings and dangerous spots. The warnings come as a new book highlights Britain’s ‘hidden asbestos epidemic’, arguing that the British government is lagging behind other countries in addressing the problem. Which all begs the question: more than a quarter of a century after asbestos was banned, why have we still not woken up to its deathly legacy?

The asbestos eyesore attracting urban explorers

The Turner Brothers’ factory in Rochdale was once a global giant in asbestos production, pioneering the weaving of asbestos fibres into cloth and growing into the world’s largest manufacturer. Today, the sprawling 75-acre site lies abandoned, a relic of Britain’s industrial past – and a magnet for thrill-seeking urban explorers.

Despite repeated warnings, site owners Spodden Park Ltd have reportedly been locked in an “ongoing battle” to secure the site against determined trespassers, which still contains asbestos. A spokesperson said the fence is regularly damaged and the CCTV cameras have been destroyed.  

They recently met with Rochdale Borough Council to discuss public safety, warning that "trespassers risk disturbing the material and put themselves at risk".

How ‘Bad Dust’ is drawing new attention to the ‘asbestos disaster’    

Tom White’s new book Bad Dust: A History of the Asbestos Disaster has reignited debate about Britain’s failure to tackle asbestos. The book traces the material’s rise from “magic mineral” to lethal legacy, exposing how deeply asbestos became woven into British industry and infrastructure.

White argues that the UK’s policy of leaving asbestos in situ is “bad in theory and worse in practice”. A recent audit found that 78% of buildings surveyed contained asbestos – and 71% of those items were damaged. While countries like Australia and South Korea have committed billions to national removal programmes, Britain has yet to set a clear timetable.

Britain’s asbestos legacy – the three waves of asbestos deaths    

Asbestos continues to claim thousands of lives every year in the UK, despite being banned in 1999. According to the Health and Safety Executive, around 5,000 people die annually from asbestos-related diseases, though campaigners believe the true figure could be closer to 20,000. These deaths fall into three distinct waves:

• First Wave – Industrial Workers: This group includes those who worked directly with asbestos in mines and factories during the height of its production. They were exposed to high concentrations of fibres daily, often without protective equipment. Many of these individuals developed asbestosis (a chronic lung disease) and mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.

• Second Wave – Trades and Shipyard Workers: The second wave affected those who worked with or near asbestos-containing materials, such as shipbuilders, railway workers, engineers, and construction tradespeople. These workers were exposed during installation, maintenance, and demolition of asbestos products. Lung cancer and mesothelioma remain common among this group, often decades after exposure.

• Third Wave – Environmental and Public Exposure: The third wave is the most concerning today. It includes teachers, healthcare workers, and the general public exposed as asbestos-containing materials deteriorate in schools, hospitals, and homes. Even minimal exposure can be fatal, as fibres released into the air are invisible and inhaled unknowingly. This wave underscores the ongoing risk from asbestos left in situ, with mesothelioma cases rising among people who never worked in traditional high-risk industries – with an added danger of late diagnosis as they are not perceived to be at high risk.  

Public management of Britain’s asbestos legacy  

With trespassers putting their lives at risks by venturing into the former Turner Brothers’ factory, the health warnings about the dangers of the material have clearly not been heard and understood by everyone. At Summit Envvironmental, we are also regularly called onto sites to oversee asbestos removal where previous contractors have compromised the safety of building users by failing to follow best practise.  

So, what more can and should be done to make our buildings safer and to encourage everyone to take the risks of asbestos seriously?  

The Health and Safety Executive’s new public consultation aims to strengthen asbestos regulations, improve survey standards, and clarify work classifications. These proposals are welcome – but they must translate into real action and funding. Britain needs a coordinated national removal programme, not piecemeal measures. Only then can we consign asbestos to history and protect future generations.

Sadly, asbestos is not a relic of the past – it’s a present danger. Stay out of abandoned sites and ensure your buildings are managed safely.

For expert support to maintain the safety of your facilities, get in touch

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