TEN tonnes of asbestos-contaminated demolition waste was dumped on a Morisset residential street last week, authorities allege.
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Hunter Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad is now seeking help from the public to identify those responsible.
They believe the waste was dumped on a residential street between 10pm on Wednesday, February 27, and 4.30am on Thursday, February 28.
RID Squad coordinator, Rob Robertson, said the demolition waste appears to have come from a fire-damaged property.
“We have obtained some identifiable material in the form of painted items and examples of lino flooring from the dump site,” Mr Robertson said.
“I am confident that when the right person sees these items, they will be recognised and lead us to the source of this material.”
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Mr Robertson said that while the waste was dumped in Morisset, it is quite possible the material could have originated from a site on the Central Coast or Newcastle.
The dumped material has been examined by members of the RID Squad, and a number of exhibits have been taken to aid in this ongoing investigation.
“We are asking people to look closely at the photos we have supplied to the media, and if they recognise any of the items, to call us on 0481 032 633,” Mr Robertson said.
Asbestos is a potential risk to health if fibres are suspended in air and breathed into the lungs.
The Cancer Council said being exposed to asbestos increases the risk of developing cancers of the lung, ovary and larynx as well as mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lung). These cancers often develop decades after exposure to asbestos.
The Hunter Central Coast RID Squad is a joint project between the NSW Environmental Protection Authority and local councils.
