Asbestos killed nine times more military veterans than there were British victims of the Taliban during the Afghan campaign, government records reveal.
Exposure to the deadly material in poor military accommodation, ships, submarines, helicopters and even tanks is causing an average of 89 cases a year of mesothelioma – a fatal cancer caused by asbestos.
Former service personnel could be up to ten times more likely to develop an asbestos-related disease than the general public, says the British Occupational Hygiene Society, which campaigns for workplace safety.
A compensation row has also broken out, with affected veterans offered significantly less than civilians.
Over the past nine years, since a military mesothelioma compensation scheme was introduced, Ministry of Defence figures show there have been 803 payouts totalling £112.5million. All of the claimants were terminally ill.
