Hi Asbestos Dumping: Is It the New 'Environmental Terrorism?'

Hi Asbestos Dumping: Is It the New 'Environmental Terrorism?'

- "There is an increasing number of asbestos dumping, which is occurring in public places."

About Asbestos:

Asbestos can cause cancer years down the line, without the person ever knowing that it's there and even if they did, there's no current cure that healthcare professionals are able to practice on patients. Mesthelioma is the known type of cancer that is a result of exposure to asbestos. There are further health complications that asbestos can cause to a person's health such as, lung problems and general health problems. Mesthelioma doesn't appear until 30-50 years down the line so although it does cause cancer and death, the only saving grace is that people are not affected straight away.

Recent Asbestos Dumping Case:

There has recently been a case of asbestos dumping in Holland-on-Sea, Ipswich road, Colchester, where a whole heap of asbestos was dumped partly in bags, the other parts scattered near public toilets. This has been rightly dubbed 'Environmental Terrorism' by the local paper; exposure to asbestos can cause cancer, the fact that asbestos has been dumped in a very public place could have made an impact on people's health, but this will be unknown until years down the line when its more than likely too late to prosecute the perpetrators for causing other people to contract cancer. No justice really; if those responsible were caught, there's no real way of prosecuting them for causing people cancer as it's an unknown fact and will remain that way for many years.

Is the person(s) who committed this shocking crime understand the implications of asbestos exposure can do or completely unaware. If unaware, does that indicate a lack of knowledge that people posses when it comes to asbestos and the dangers of being exposed to it? On the other hand, if the person(s) does understand the health risks to humans that asbestos causes, does this mean they are just pure evil; putting a person(s) health at risk to an extent where it's likely to give them cancer and a premature death is absolutely and undeniably shocking and should receive many years behind bars for doing so?

However, until years down the line, this cannot be proved or disproved, making dumping asbestos and being prosecuted for it, a complete grey area in the current justice system and to an extent understandable. People cannot be prosecuted for possibilities that something may happen, it must be factual and something must have occurred.

Asbestos Removal Regulations:

There are rules and regulations that have been put in place in order to help stop asbestos from causing unnecessary and painful deaths. However, these measures will not completely get rid of the asbestos fibres and with people now dumping asbestos where ever they like e.g. in public places, the problem may only get worse. Asbestos itself is not harmful if it isn't disturbed, but if it is accidentally or purposefully disturbed then this is when it becomes deadly and therefore, asbestos must be removed using correct methods, procedures and equipment.

There are strict laws when it comes to asbestos removal and this must be followed to the letter by any person or business whom is involved in the removal of asbestos. These laws were introduced in order to try minimise health risks due to the high proportion of buildings and materials contaminate by asbestos during removal.

How Easy is it to Disturb Asbestos?

Asbestos is extremely easy to disturb; a simple hole drilled into a wall that contains asbestos can be harmful for a person as the particles are tossed into the air and therefore, a chance of being breathed in by people in the vicinity.