Reading Borough Council's 200 buildings with asbestos

Reading Central Library is among the buildings containing asbestos

Schools are among more than 200 buildings owned or run by a council, containing potentially hazardous asbestos.

A total of 32 schools owned by Reading Borough Council as well as centres such as Reading Central Library have asbestos containing material.

The data comes as MPs called for a 40-year deadline for all asbestos to be removed from buildings.

Reading Borough Council has been approached for comment.

The authority has already confirmed that all its buildings containing asbestos have a management plan in place.

Asbestos is classified as being carcinogenic, which means it can cause cancer and other dangerous lung conditions when fibres are inhaled.

MPs' call

According to the data, revealed by a Freedom of Information request, the Reading Borough Council buildings containing asbestos include several primary and nursery schools.

It is also in 47 commercial properties including the Meadway Sports Centre in St Bartholomew's Road, Palmer Park Library and the buildings at Christchurch Meadows in Caversham.

A total of 181 communal areas in council homes also have asbestos.

There are approximately 9,500 council homes in Reading, so the authority was not able to provide exact number of the properties which contain asbestos, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

But the authority admitted that, because the majority of the homes were built before 2000, it was likely many of them contained some.

The asbestos management plans which are currently in place are enacted to prevent asbestos exposure, and lay out how materials can be safely removed and replaced.

MPs have called for all asbestos to be removed from public and commercial buildings.

The Work and Pensions Select Committee said asbestos remains the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK.

More than 5,000 such fatalities were recorded in 2019.