More than 100 primary schools in Somerset still contain asbestos – though the risk to the public is minimal.

A freedom of information request has revealed the extent to which the potentially cancerous material remains in schools maintained by the local authority (as opposed to academies).

Bristol law firm Irwin Mitchell has said there has been a rise in the number of asbestos cancer cases involving public buildings (including schools), and has called on central government to take action.

Somerset County Council has said all high-risk material has already been removed from schools which it manages, and each school is regularly surveyed to ensure pupils and staff are not as risk.

Before the 1980s, asbestos was widely used in insulation, as well as being a component of cement.

When asbestos dust is inhaled or ingested, the dust becomes trapped in the body and can eventually cause inflammation, scarring or forms of cancer.

One form of cancer, called mesothelioma, is believed to be almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell was instructed by the family of Elizabeth Ann Griggs, a former lab technician at Wells Cathedral School, to investigate whether exposure to asbestos during her career contributed to the mesothelioma which claimed her life in late-2017. The law firm’s investigation remains ongoing.

Virginia Chalmers, a partner and expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Bristol office, said: “We continue to see an increase in the number of asbestos cancer cases connected to public buildings, including schools.

“The fact the latest government figures reveal that a total of 285 teachers and other educational professionals have died from mesothelioma in the past 15 years, and a previous report said that 75 per cent of schools still contain asbestos, should be more than enough proof that urgent action is needed.

“A systematic plan to safely remove asbestos in schools is not such a tall order bearing in mind the dangers.

“We have campaigned for a long time for more to be done to address the presence of dangerous asbestos in schools, but we are still waiting for a serious commitment to be made to tackle the problem.”

A freedom of information request to the county council – which is responsible for building and maintaining schools – has revealed a total of 101 primary schools across the county contain asbestos.

Here is the full list:

  • Abbas and Templecombe Primary School, Templecombe
  • Ash Primary School
  • Ashlands First School, Crewkerne
  • Baltonsborough Primary School
  • Barwick & Stoford Primary School
  • Bawdrip Kingsmoor Primary School
  • Beckington First School
  • Beech Grove Primary School, Wellington
  • Berrow Primary School
  • Birchfield Primary School, Yeovil
  • Bishop Henderson Primary School, Coleford
  • Bishops Hull Primary School
  • Butleigh Primary School
  • Bowlish Infants School
  • Cannington Primary School
  • Castle Cary Primary School
  • Catcott Primary School
  • Charlton Mackrell Primary School
  • Cheddar First School
  • Chilthorne Domer Primary School
  • Christchurch First School, Frome
  • Churchstanton Primary School
  • Compton Dundon Primary School
  • Coxley Primary School
  • Creech St Michael Primary School
  • Curry Mallet Primary School
  • Curry Rivel Primary School
  • Deane Discovery Centre pupil referral unit (formerly Blagdon Hill Primary School), Taunton
  • Ditcheat Primary School
  • Dunster First School
  • East Coker Primary School
  • East Huntspill Primary School
  • Eastover Primary School, Bridgwater
  • Elmhurst Junior School, Street
  • Evercreech Primary School
  • Exford First School
  • Greenfylde First School, Ilminster
  • Hamp Infants School, Bridgwater
  • Haselbury Plucknett First School
  • Henstridge Primary School
  • Hindhayes Infants School, Street
  • Hinton St George First School
  • Holway Park Community School, Taunton
  • Ilchester Primary School
  • Keinton Mandeville Primary School
  • Kingston St Mary Primary School
  • Langford Budville Primary School
  • Lovington Primary School
  • Lydeard St Lawrence Primary School
  • Lyngford Park Primary School, Taunton
  • Meare Village Primary School
  • Mells First School
  • Merriott First School
  • Milborne Port Primary School
  • Milford Infants School, Yeovil
  • Milford Junior School, Yeovil
  • Milverton Primary School
  • Misterton First School
  • Neroche Primary School, Broadway
  • Nether Stowey Primary School
  • North Cadbury Primary School
  • North Newton Primary School
  • North Petherton Infants and Junior School
  • Oake, Bradford & Nynehead Primary School
  • Oakhill Primary School
  • Parkfield Primary School, Taunton
  • Priddy Primary School
  • Reckleford Infants School, Yeovil
  • Rockwell Green Primary School
  • Rode Methodist First School
  • Sampford Arundel Primary School
  • Shepton Beauchamp First School
  • Shepton Mallet Infants School
  • Shipham First School
  • South Petherton Junior School
  • Spaxton Primary School
  • St Andrew’s Junior School, Burnham-on-Sea
  • St Bartholomew’s First School, Crewkerne
  • St Cuthbert’s Junior School, Wells
  • St George’s Primary School, Wembdon
  • St John’s Infants School, Glastonbury
  • St Lawrence’s Primary School, Westbury-sub-Mendip
  • St Mary’s Primary School, Bridgwater
  • St Paul’s Junior School, Shepton Mallet
  • Stawley Primary School
  • Stoberry Park School, Wells
  • Stoke St Gregory Primary School
  • Stoke St Michael Primary School
  • Trinity First School, Frome
  • Upton Noble Primary School
  • Vallis First School, Frome
  • Walton Primary School
  • Wellsprings Primary School, Taunton
  • West Coker Primary School
  • West Huntspill Primary School
  • West Pennard Primary School
  • Westonzoyland Primary School
  • Westover Green Primary School, Bridgwater
  • Wincanton Primary School
  • Wiveliscombe Primary School
  • Wookey Primary School

In addition to the primary schools, two secondary schools in Somerset contain asbestos – Wadham Community School in Crewkerne and Heathfield Community School in Taunton – as well as two middle schools: Swanmead Community School in Ilminster, and Dulverton Community School.

There are also five special schools in Somerset which contain asbestos – Avalon School in Street, Elmwood School in Bridgwater, Critchell School in Frome, and both Fairmead and Fiveways Schools in Yeovil.

The council has said all high-risk asbestos has already been removed from schools, and the remaining “residual” asbestos was not dangerous unless it had been disturbed.

A spokesman said: “The situation regarding asbestos is the same in Somerset as it is across the country.

“It was used in many buildings, including schools, until the mid-1980s, and all high-risk material was removed more than 20 years ago.

“There is residual asbestos in many buildings, including schools, but it presents no risk unless disturbed.

“All asbestos is logged, monitored annually by schools and resurveyed every five years by our scientific services team.

“There is absolutely no reason for parents or staff to be concerned and any suggestion that there is would be wholly misleading.”