Questions are being asked about why fly-tipped waste, with asbestos in it, was left for nearly two months on a rural road in York.
Councillor Christain Vassie, who represents the area around Wheldrake, said it should have been removed within hours not weeks.
“I and a number of other people reported it to the council. Eight weeks later, it was still there. The council did finally send someone down and identified there was asbestos in it.
“They put a plastic sheet over it and a piece of paper saying asbestos, and that’s it. The plastic sheet blew away and dust spread across the place. Who knows where that dust ended up.
“I’ve told council officers, if this was in Parliament Street, it would have been cleared away within 24 hours. To suggest that there are regulatory reasons why it could not be dealt quicker is just unacceptable. It was a health hazard.”
The waste has been removed now.
Dave Atkinson, director of environmental and regulatory services at City of York Council, said “The presence of suspected asbestos meant this type of waste had to be dealt with under strict safety procedures.
“While we understood the need to for it removed quickly, our priority is always to ensure waste is handled and disposed of in a way that protects residents, workers and the environment” he added.
He went on “We worked closely with our specialist contractor and the removal was carried out as soon as possible after we were made aware of the suspected asbestos, ensuring that no damage to the local environment occurred in the process.
“While we understand the concerns raised locally about the time taken, it is essential that hazardous waste is managed correctly to protect both public health and the environment.”
