Health to repeat asbestos survey in all its properties

Saturday 19th December 2009, 2:29PM GMT.

Castel Hospital.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES is planning to survey all of its properties for asbestos after a previous study failed to reveal the toxic substance at the Meadows Day Centre.

The building at the rear of the Castel Hospital was closed last month when part of its roof collapsed after heavy rain. Department staff checked for asbestos and samples were sent to the UK for analysis, which proved positive.

A survey by a UK firm 11 years ago had found nothing.

‘The HSSD is obviously concerned that the original survey did not identify the existence of the asbestos at The Meadows and is intending to commission a new survey of all of its existing properties,’ said a department spokesman.

Following the original study, any asbestos found was removed immediately and its location noted.

‘Asbestos was, at one time, a very common building material due to its excellent insulation and fire retardant qualities,’ said the spokesman.

‘As such, there are a number of HSSD properties that, due to their age, were built using materials that contained asbestos, as is the case with numerous other properties of a similar age throughout the island.’