Health Warning over old Christmas Decorations which may contain asbestos

It has now come to light that some Christmas decorations made around the 1940’s and 1950’s may have contained asbestos. This is not a problem until we think of families that may well be reusing the same decorations which they have had all of their life. 

Asbestos was occasionally used as fake snow due to its realistic appearance. This may seem strange now however back in the 1950’s asbestos was used in the filming of The Wizard of Oz to shower Judy Garland in snow. 

If anyone has any old decorations from the 1950’s or earlier they are advised to safely dispose of them without breaking them if possible. This is possible by contacting your local authority who will come and take any asbestos products that you may have away safely. Asbestos will not be harmful if it is safely encapsulated, for example within a bauble, however if the casing is cracked or broken the asbestos can leak our and become severely dangerous.

If you have come into contact with asbestos for any reason whatsoever and have recently developed symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue and chest pain you can contact your local specialists, Wolferstans Solicitors on 01752 663295, for advice on how to proceed with a claim and obtain the best possible care required.