THE vast majority of schools in Huddersfield contain asbestos.
But council officials have stressed the schools are perfectly safe.
New figures show only the six most recently-built schools in Kirklees are free of the mineral.
Kirklees Council yesterday revealed that only schools constructed in the last 10 years have no asbestos.
They are: Castle Hill School, Hillside Primary in Newsome; Moldgreen Community Primary, Moorlands Primary in Outlane; Fairfield School in Batley and Howard Park Community School in Cleckheaton.
The remaining 185 primary and high schools in Kirklees contain some asbestos.
But a council spokeswoman said yesterday this did not mean children were at risk from the mineral.
She said: “Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and has been used worldwide for about 150 years on a commercial basis.
“Blue asbestos and brown asbestos were banned in 1985 but it is only since 1999 that it became illegal to use any type of asbestos in the construction or refurbishment of buildings.
“Therefore, while the use of asbestos in construction was diminishing from the mid-1980s, only buildings constructed during and after 2000 can be considered to be asbestos-free.
“The presence of asbestos in a building does not mean the health of people in the building is endangered.
“Materials containing asbestos are safe if they are in good condition and are not damaged or disturbed.
“Kirklees has a whole range of programmes to promote safety in schools. To support the process of managing asbestos the council has an asbestos plan in place, it monitors implementation, it provides training on asbestos management and awareness, it supports head teachers and other managers with buildings asset advice and it uses specialist surveyors and contractors to identify and deal with asbestos when that is necessary.”
In August re-wiring work at Golcar Junior, Infant and Nursery School was stopped after asbestos was discovered. The material was taken away and destroyed by specialist contractors.
