Fly Tippers Stop Dumping Asbestos Waste!
Councils, the length and breadth of Britain, expend hundreds of thousands of pounds clearing up after fly tippers. Dumping asbestos waste is particularly odious because it’s a health hazard to everyone who goes near it. And it’s expensive to remove.
THE PRICE YOU CAN PAY FOR FLY TIPPING
It’s clear that people fly tip because they don’t want to pay the cost of non-domestic waste disposal. If caught, fly tipping attracts a fine of up to £50,000 or imprisonment for a year via a Magistrates Court. Or five years in jail and an unlimited fine via the Crown Court. In addition, by breathing in asbestos fibres when removing the material, it could cost you your life, decades after the event. Passers-by the site where asbestos has been dumped may also inhale the fibres and could ultimately die. So all in all it’s not a particularly cheap option is it?
We have to assume that those who fly tip are equally as careless when removing asbestos containing materials. Undisturbed and in good condition, asbestos products such as old floor tiles, insulation boards and roofing aren’t particularly hazardous. However, when broken they become extremely dangerous. The amount of broken up asbestos found by councils year on year is staggering. Thanet District Council spent more than £100,000 last year in dealing with waste that had been fly tipped.
If you are even remotely considering dumping asbestos waste and/or other non-domestic waste in places that you shouldn’t – DON’T! It isn’t worth getting a criminal record, being fined more than you could possibly ever afford and contracting an asbestos related disease. It is grossly irresponsible to endanger the health of others too.
HOW TO DEAL WITH ASBESTOS IN THE HOME
A property in the UK, built before 1999 is likely to contain asbestos somewhere. The material was widely used in construction because of its heat resistant and insulation properties. Expect to find it in textured coated ceilings and walls, in or around fireplaces, wall panels, insulation boards and in linoleum or floor tiles. Tanks, boilers and old pipes may also be lagged with it.
You can call in a surveyor or buy an asbestos self-testing kit which contains everything you require to collect samples. Check out the Asbestos Sampling video below which shows how easy it is to do. If the results come back negative, great but dispose of the waste properly! Positive results will entail contacting a professional asbestos waste removal operative. In this way, the toxic material can be removed and disposed of safely.
However, if some of the asbestos products are intact and in good condition (such as floor tiles) it’s cheaper to cover over them.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ASBESTOS WASTE
You can find more information by clicking on Where to find Asbestos in the Home or call us for some free advice. We have a database of qualified, asbestos waste removal contractors and may be able to help you find one in your area. Do the responsible thing for your own health and that of others by purchasing an asbestos self-testing kit. The consequences of fly tipping don’t bear thinking about!
