Risk of Mesothelioma Due to Illegal Asbestos Waste Dumping
Upon suspicion of illegal waste dumping that included the disposal of carcinogenic asbestos containing materials, England police began investigating claims that a gang in North West Durham was committing crimes and environmental offenses. The police arrested eight men, ages 30 – 45, searched twelve different suspected sites, and seized six vehicles.
The charges claim the men conspired to commit illegal dumping of waste. Therefore environmental agents took samples from several sites, positively identifying the presence of asbestos in at least one of the sites, a former rock quarry.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was widely mined and used for commercial and manufacturing purposes until it became highly regulated in the mid 1980’s. Asbestos poses a health risk when fibers are released into the air for people to breath. Once inhaled, asbestos can cause cancer, such as mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or chest. Symptoms of mesothelioma often do not begin to appear until one to four decades after initial exposure.
It is suspected that the gang accused of dumping illegal waste did so in a manner that potentially exposed themselves and others to airborne asbestos, endangering wildlife, the environment, and many human lives in the future.
The raids are part of a larger effort to crack down on crime in the northeast region of England. Those arrested face up to five years in prison and hefty fines.
