Asbestos found among rubbish dumped in mindless rural fly-tip

A large hazardous fly-tip containing asbestos has been dumped in a rural lane, LeicestershireLive has reported.

Workers had to wear full body protective suits as they removed the dangerous material from Barlestone Road, near Bagworth.

The officials from Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council removed around a quarter of a tonne of waste, filling two tipper vans.

Police attended to keep the workers safe as they cleared up the mess. A sweeper van was also used to clear the verges of the road. The incident was reported on December 20 and was cleared up shortly afterwards.

Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause permanent damage and scarring to the lungs, as well as mesothelioma, a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs which is almost always fatal.

In January 2021, a large fly-tip was dumped on Kirkby Road, near Barwell, which also included asbestos.

There was a surge in fly-tipping incidents in Hinckley and Bosworth in 2020, after the coronavirus restrictions came into force, with cases rising by more than 50 per cent compared with the previous year, costing £54,600 to clean up.