A fire broke out at the Eyemouth golf club in the Scottish borders in the early hours of 8th July. The green keeper’s shed on the course was the site of the fire, and many fire fighters were sent to the scene due to the presence of chemicals and pesticides.

Once the blaze was brought under control, a small amount of white asbestos, also known as crysotile, was found amongst the debris. A director of public health for NHS Borders and Scottish Borders Council said of the blaze that none of the chemicals involved were dangerous.

Due to the fact that asbestos was found on site, the area will now need to be treated with caution and any asbestos found shall be removed by professionals. While this clean up is underway, access to the course will be prohibited.

Due to its fire and heat resistant properties, asbestos has been used in the UK extensively throughout the 20th century. It is now known that human contact with asbestos fibres can cause serious illnesses, the most common being mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. Due to the ferocity of these illnesses asbestos is now banned from use but since it was so popular in the 20th century, the substance remains undetected in many buildings across Scotland and the UK.

Should this asbestos be disturbed, it could unknowingly cause harm to anyone in the surrounding area. Thus although it may seem over cautious, the correct procedures have been followed at the borders golf club to ensure the safety of those near by.

If you live in this area and are concerned about the potential presence of asbestos in your buildings and what you may need to do about it, check out the Asbestos Edinburgh website or the Asbestos Glasgow website . Their experienced team can carry out asbestos surveys, management and removal.