Asbestos News

Contractors in Tasmania, Australia, are concerned about asbestos disposal after a major dump stopped accepting large quantities of the carcinogenic mineral.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the dump run by the Hobart City Council will no longer accept commercial volumes of asbestos-containing waste.

This is concerning to people who regularly work with the substance as there were already few "tips" - an Australian term for dumps - that would accept such waste.

"Fewer and fewer tips that are able to take care of the fill for you and the prices inevitably go up so there are additional costs in both transport and also disposal," Michael Kerschbaum with the Master Builders Association told the news source.

The disposal of asbestos is heavily regulated due to its deadly nature. If the naturally occurring mineral is disposed of improperly, the deadly mineral fibers can become airborne. Those who inhale these tiny fibers are at risk for developing a number of severe diseases such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

Lisa Singh, the CEO of Asbestos Free Tasmania, said that she is concerned that there will be more illegal asbestos dumping now that there are fewer places that handle the substance.