Asbestos News

A UK resident recently accused the local council of failing to protect citizens from asbestos dangers after the carcinogenic material was reportedly dumped on a nearby footpath.

According to The Comet, Colin Moon says he contacted the Central Bedfordshire Council in April to alert them to the fact that the asbestos had been dumped on the path. Months later, however, Moon tells the news source the asbestos remains as is, just trampled into the ground.

"It’s a public footpath and a popular walk for families with dogs. I used to go up there with my dog and my children, but now we avoid it and go elsewhere," Moon explained. "The fact it’s just been left there is concerning. It looks like it’s been repeatedly walked on."

Moon added that he once again decided to contact the council in December, but was told that since it was private land, the council was not responsible for cleaning up the asbestos.

The local resident has a right to be upset about the lack of action taken to remove the asbestos, as exposure to the material has been proven to cause lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. Such asbestos-related illnesses kill approximately 107,000 people around the world each year, according to the World Health Organization.