Residents living with a pile of asbestos dumped in their Northampton street

Residents living on a Northampton street have been forced to contend with a pile of rubble believed to contain asbestos lying in their road.
The pile of waste, believed to contain asbestos, lying at the side of the road.The pile of waste, believed to contain asbestos, lying at the side of the road.
The pile of waste, believed to contain asbestos, lying at the side of the road.

People from Osborne Road in Kingsthorpe first spotted the potentially dangerous waste five weeks ago.

It is believed the waste was dumped by a passerby in a skip that was in the road. The waste was then taken out of the skip and has remained on the side of the road ever since.

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Asbestos containing materials are potentially dangerous to people if they are broken up or disturbed, releasing the tiny fibres into the air which when breathed into lungs can cause scarring and cancer. If left alone and in one piece they usually pose a minimal risk.

Residents reported the waste five weeks ago to Northampton Borough Council, but as regular street cleaning teams cannot simply pick it up, getting the right equipment and paperwork in place to move it has taken time.

A spokesperson for the borough council said: “We are aware that material likely to contain asbestos has been found fly-tipped on Osborne Road and are working with our environmental service contractors to have it removed.

“While asbestos is known to be a hazardous substance, it is only really a danger when it is disturbed. Therefore it is important that we take the necessary precautions to ensure it is disposed of safely and correctly by trained professionals.

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“We would like to remind property owners that it is their responsibility at all times to see that asbestos is removed and disposed of by an authorised contractor. Failure to do so can result in prosecution.”