Asbestos News
Possible asbestos discovery shuts down community garden in the UK
A community garden area in the UK has been closed off due to fears that it might be tainted with asbestos.The allotment site at Mouldshaugh Lane in Felton has been fenced off after a gardener discovered possible asbestos contamination, according to the Northumberland Gazette.
The land is owned by the Northumberland County Council, which fenced off the area and sent a contractor to the site. This specialist will examine the possible asbestos and provide authorities with a risk assessment.
Authorities are urging the public not to enter the fenced off area for fear that they might endure asbestos exposure. The inhalation of the naturally occurring mineral fibers can cause a number of serious illnesses such as asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer that attacks the thin membrane that lines the chest, abdomen and many of the body's internal organs.
The World Health Organization estimates that such asbestos-caused diseases claim the lives of approximately 107,000 people each year around the world.
The county council told the news source that it would take all the necessary steps to protect the safety of the public.
6/16/11
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