Asbestos dumping is becoming a problem for Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs as residents are intentionally dumping the dangerous material in their front yards with the hope that it will be removed during rubbish collection.
However the waste management company who picks up the rubbish has spoken out saying they won’t be fooled into doing other people’s dirty work, if something contains asbestos they will not pick it up. While some residents are actually unsure that what they are putting out is asbestos, Michael Strickland, manager of the waste company believes many people are aware of what they are putting on their lawns.
In most circumstances in Victoria asbestos can only be removed by a licensed removalist, however a lack of awareness of the dangers of asbestos see many home renovators rip into the deadly material.
Exposure to asbestos even a small amount of asbestos can lead to a person contracting the cancer mesothelioma. Other asbestos conditions such as asbestosis and asbestos related pleural disease can occur following higher levels of asbestos exposure.
Therefore the dumping of asbestos by residents is extremely dangerous to the public and to those who have to remove it, and steps should be taken to prevent this from happening. Further, if residents dump asbestos and another person is exposed to that asbestos and develops an asbestos condition as a result of such exposure, an asbestos compensation claim may well be made.
