Asbestos News
Illegal asbestos dumping investigated by New Zealand authorities
New Zealand authorities are looking into a possible instance of illegal asbestos dumping in a riverbed.VOXY reports that nearly 530 pounds of asbestos was found in in Hurunui in the Kowai riverbed.
Authorities removed the asbestos and are now looking for the person responsible for the illegal dumping.
Local Environmental Manager Judith Batchelor told the news source that such actions present serious risks to the community.
"Asbestos is one of the most dangerous building materials known to man. Just imagine if a child had picked this up and started playing with it, inhaling the particles in the process," she said. "It is bad enough for anyone to treat our backyard as a de-facto tip, but even worse as it turns out in this case the material discarded is not only unsightly, but downright dangerous"
Asbestos exposure has serious consequences as the inhalation of the mineral fibers has been proven to cause a range of serious illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer since the mid-1960s.
According to Environment Canterbury Director of Resource Management Kim Drummond, illegal asbestos dumping is increasing in the North Canterbury area.
7/14/11
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