Bunsen burner gauze mats containing asbestos in schools across the UK

Bunsen burner gauze mats containing asbestos in schools across the UK, officials reveal

Government writes an urgent letter to all secondary schools and colleges advising them to ‘remove and dispose of potentially hazardous mesh gauze used in science lessons.’

Pupils at secondary schools across the UK may have been exposed to asbestos from heatproof gauze mats used with Bunsen burners after the Health, and Safety Executive (HSE) said two companies had been supplying the deadly material to schools.

As the new academic year begins, science teachers have been warned not to use their stocks of heatproof mats and to remove them from classrooms and “seal them with tape” until their certification with suppliers has been established, or they have been given the all-clear after laboratory tests.

The risk of exposure remains “low”, the HSE said and told the companies to stop supplying the mats to schools, adding they were working to establish which schools were affected.