Croydon has had its share of problems with asbestos. For instance, it has been blamed for delays in the Fairfield construction project. The reopening of this space had to be postponed five times, including cancelling a royal gala concert.
Exposure to this deadly material has unfortunately been widespread in the UK, particularly for those who work in construction and building trades. There are several types of asbestos including chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite, along with the less commonly used anthophyllite, actinolite and tremolite.
Britain banned the import and use of several types of asbestos in 1985. However, all were finally banned by the EU in 2005.