Armley asbestos disaster
The contamination was the result of the activities of a local asbestos factory, part of the Turner & Newall (T&N) group (often referred to by the name of its founders, J. W. Roberts Ltd.) and occurred between the end of the 19th century and 1959 when the factory eventually closed. At its peak the factory had 250 employees. At least 300 former employees are believed to have died from asbestos-related illnesses, and a number of cancer deaths in the Armley area were traced to the factory in 1988 as a result of an investigation by the "Yorkshire Evening Post". The estate was found to have the highest incidence in the country of mesothelioma. As the interval between exposure and diagnosis can be up to 50 years the number of further deaths which may occur due to the factory's emissions or residual dust since its closure cannot be predicted.
Berry Brow
In the bottom of the valley are two high rise buildings, built in the 1960s in an attempt to modernise the village. These reached public notoriety in the 1980s when they were found to contain high levels of asbestos, which had been built into the fabric of the building, under the regulations in force at that time. A request by Kirklees Council for money from central Government to assist with the predicted £1 million cost of removing the asbestos was rejected in February 1991.