Asbestos fly-tipped 'in every corner' of county

The type of asbestos found illegally dumped in Northumberland was mostly corrugated sheet

Potentially lethal asbestos has been found illegally dumped in "every corner" of a rural county, a council has said.

The toxic material has been fly-tipped "from Berwick to Alnwick and Bedlington to Hexham" in the past nine months, Northumberland County Council said.

In that time it has dealt with double the number of cases it handled the previous year.

Cabinet member Ian Swithenbank said it cost the authority more than £10,000.

If homeowners are unable to prove their hazardous waste has been removed by a registered operative they run "the real risk of being prosecuted if any dumped waste is traced back to them", he said.

Asbestos: Its uses, dangers and prohibitions

• It is strong and fire retardant and was extensively used in older commercial buildings, homes and schools

• The Asbestos Regulations 1969 imposed strict rules on dust exposure limits in factories and construction

• Blue and brown asbestos, thought at the time to be more dangerous, was banned in the UK in 1985. White asbestos was banned in 1999

• Exposure can lead to asbestosis, lung cancer, plural plaques and mesothelioma

"Fly-tipping on private land remains a significant problem for farmers and landowners who are left frustrated when they, the victims of this crime, are left to clear up dumped waste and pay for its disposal," Mr Swithenbank said.

The asbestos found was mostly corrugated sheeting, once commonly used in old colliery houses, farms and commercial properties which have now been modernised, the council said.

There are strict rules concerning its removal and disposal by a licensed operator but "unscrupulous waste contractors" have been dumping it to save costs, the authority added.