Asbestos News

Fly-tipping is a British term for illegal dumping and such activities, which include asbestos being improperly disposed of, are costing Wales £3 million a year to clean up.

According to WalesOnline, the illegal dumping in the area includes not only asbestos-containing waste but animal carcasses, chemical drums and old car parts as well.

The cleanup of these items is not only costly but potentially deadly as well because exposure to asbestos can cause a number of serious illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

The news source reports that figures show that the overall amount of illegally dumped wasted declined 13 percent from 2008-2009 to 2009-2010. However, Peter Ogden, the director of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, said that the incidents of fly-tipping have become more serious.

"Asbestos, fridges, particularly the white goods, we do notice that much, much more in some really bizarre places," he told the news source. "I wonder how people manage to get them to the places where they dump them."

According to the news source, in a single year there are nearly 48,000 pieces of waste illegally dumped in Wales.