Asbestos compensation claims in Australia are on the rise, and ironically so are incidents of illegal asbestos dumping in South Australia.
The dumping of waste is an illegal activity, but the dumping of asbestos is even worse, as asbestos is a known carcinogen which can cause asbestos related conditions such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
The ABC has reported that the illegal dumping of asbestos and other materials is becoming a significant concern in regional areas of South Australia, a claim backed up by the Environmental Protection Authority of South Australia (EPA).
South Australia’s EPA has said that the issue of illegal dumping was recently brought to light after they were called to clean up a hydrocarbon spill near Port Pirie, but that this case was only one of a number of cases where dangerous materials are being illegally abandoned.
Offenders in these cases are not often brought to justice, and as such, South Australia’s EPA urges people to report illegal dumping, particularly of asbestos, in order to stop people from dumping.
South Australia’s EPA says that calls to the unit are increasing, and that most of them are regarding asbestos. As such it is important to address the issue in order to prevent the public from being exposed to the abandoned asbestos and developing asbestos related diseases such as malignant pleural mesothelioma.
South Australia has one of the highest incidences of mesothelioma in the world per capital.
