Collection scheme to rid Northants schools of harmful gauze mats

Recently, the Department for Education (DfE) instructed schools to remove all Bunsen burner gauze mats after highlighting that the equipment may contain dangerous asbestos that could cause harm to staff and pupils.

The firm, as part of their commitment to relieve any threat from asbestos contaminated materials will be conducting dedicated collections at a significantly reduced cost of just £1 per gauze mat and has vowed to donate proceeds raised to Mesothelioma UK - a national specialist resource centre, specifically for the asbestos-related cancer.

Gauze Mat collections will be completed on Tuesday, October 30, in Northamptonshire schools.

Any education providers that wish to request a collection should register as soon as possible at www.mickgeorge.co.uk/school-asbestos-collection.

Mick George Environmental will suitably collect, handle and dispose of the gauze mats, ensuring that any immediate threat to pupils and staff at the facilities are removed.

Reports suggest that Asbestos exists in 86% of schools, with only 46% of staff actually aware of its presence, but more importantly could be contributing to the large number of fatalities that the UK experiences each year – more that 2,400 deaths from Mesothelioma per year.

Stephen Summerfield, Environmental Director at Mick George Ltd: ‘’The threat of asbestos is a very real one and is something that Mick George Environmental take very seriously. We would urge any education providers that have the potentially harmful gauze mat equipment on site not to take a chance and let our experienced team collect them safely.’’

Summerfield continued: ‘’Over the years Mick George Ltd has successfully engaged in various safety initiatives with schools and this is just an extension of those partnerships already formed. We are keen to do what we can to relieve the severity of this situation.’