Ex-Marine demands MoD investigation into asbestos exposure

Former Royal Marine and Devon county councillor Ed Hill is calling for a criminal investigation into Ministry of Defence (MoD) officers and planners following a high-profile asbestos exposure case. The demand follows an out-of-court settlement involving 256 Marines and soldiers who were allegedly exposed to dangerous asbestos during military exercises.

The exposure occurred at the Skrunda-1 site, an abandoned Soviet radar complex in Latvia, where personnel were accommodated during exercises. Hill, who led the seven-year legal battle, reported that a qualified officer had warned personnel about asbestos in the dust within their accommodation. After collecting approximately two kilograms of dust and having it tested by an independent laboratory in the UK, the presence of asbestos was confirmed.

A Service Inquiry has since identified serious failures regarding the planning, assessment, and management of asbestos risks at the Skrunda-1 site. The building from which the dust was collected has since been demolished.