Officials called in to investigate possible dumping of mesothelioma-causing asbestos

In Lowestoft, England, an unknown group of vandals who illegally dumped garbage near a camping site have caused an asbestos scare among the local population. Last week, a local man noticed the dumped material, and spotted what he thought was asbestos, a known carcinogenic material.

“A crew was sent immediately due to the dangerous nature of the waste,” explained Mike Daniels, cleaning service manager for the Waveney Norse Company. “Thankfully it was not asbestos sheeting as first thought, however the glass unit was still a dangerous item to dump and on top of the unsightliness, these thoughtless, selfish actions could have caused injury.”

While this particular incident did not involve asbestos-containing material, many similar incidents in the past have involved the illegal dumping of this dangerous material. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure.

The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis despite undergoing mesothelioma treatment.

“We deal with on average with 850 fly-tips [dumping incidents] per year,” Mr. Daniels said. “This money could go to improving the cleansing service further. In the last six months, street cleansing has issued 92 incident tickets where evidence has been found. This has resulted in 18 fixed penalty notices being issued.”