THE honorary chairman of a Derbyshire charity which helps people affected by asbestos has told of his horror at incidents where the deadly material was found in a lane and fly-tipped in a garage.
David Trigg, of Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team, said he disagreed with a suggestion from Derby City Council that the risk to the public caused by the lane incident was “relatively low”.
The council closed the road from Chellaston to Aston-on-Trent between 11am and 4.30pm on Thursday, January 28, while they waited for contractors to clear the asbestos, which was apparently in corrugated roofing.
Though the lane is notorious for fly-tipping, a council spokeswoman said it looked as if, in this case, the material had fallen from a vehicle.
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She said: “The risk to the public is relatively low as it is in a wide open space on a country road, and is undisturbed, however we would advise staying away from the area until it has been removed by professionals.”
But Mr Trigg said: “There is no low risk with asbestos. Any exposure has the potential to cause an asbestos-related cancer many years after the exposure. She also says in that sentence that it is ‘undisturbed’.
“Asbestos in the form described in the article, in corrugated roofing sheets, is liable to being disturbed from the moment it leaves the manufacturers. These roofing sheets are made up of around 90% filler, mostly cement, and 10%, though sometimes more, asbestos.
“The cement is mildly abrasive and if vibrated in transit can, and does, release asbestos fibres. It is also disturbed when installed in its operational role, the weather disturbs it, even large birds treading on it have been found to disturb it.
“In this case it has been removed – thus disturbing it – it’s been thrown on the back of a lorry and it then falls or is thrown off.”
On the day the asbestos was found, Steve Clarke, 53, of Willowbank Grange, close to the part of the lane where the asbestos was found, said he wanted to see CCTV installed on the route because it had often been used by fly-tippers.
The city council has now responded, with the spokeswoman warning that the council could deploy cameras on the lane.
She said: “We have CCTV equipment which can be deployed in various locations where there are high levels of fly tipping and keep these areas under regular review.
“Anyone fly-tipping runs the risk of being caught by one of our cameras, and if they are caught then we will take enforcement action.
“We take the issue of fly-tipping extremely seriously and will deal with any reported incidents as swiftly as possible.
“The right kind of evidence allows us to investigate with a view to prosecuting.”
The second asbestos incident happened between Monday, January 11 and Friday, January 29, in one of several Derby Homes-owned garages at the end of Thorndike Avenue, Alvaston.
The garage had been broken into.
Mr Trigg said that, like the lane story, his reaction to this had been one of “horror” and that what it was a typical incident of asbestos dumping.
He added: “It never is safe, and never will be, unless it is buried in a deep pit and covered in a few feet of concrete.”
There are at least four signs up in the area warning people that fly-tipping is a criminal offence with maximum penalties of a £50,000 fine and/or a 12-month prison sentence.
Councillor Alan Graves, who represents Alvaston, suspects the rubbish was dumped by people working on properties.
He said: “They are dumping it there instead of taking it to the proper council tip. It’s clearly very dangerous to be dumping asbestos in peoples’ garages.”
Source: The Derby Telegraph
