HARMFUL dumped asbestos was left outside a Crowthorne primary school last week – meaning the council had to clear the fly-tipping.
Parents found a quantity of asbestos, a dangerous fibre previously used in construction, on Oaklands Lane, close to the entrance to Hatch Ride Primary School on Monday, May 10.
A split bag, containing roof tiles, was on a raised verge that the young pupils walk along each morning.
When asbestos fibres are inhaled, they can get trapped in the lungs and stay there for a long time, causing life-threatening illnesses.
READ MORE: Fly-tipping: Wokingham Borough Council pledges action to clamp down on problem
They can accumulate over time causing scarring and inflammation, which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems.
One parent said that Wokingham Borough Council was contacted several times on the Monday, but they had unable to get hold of anyone.
But the council did take action, and it was removed by 10.30am on the Tuesday.
On inspection, the council said there was asbestos present in the dumped bag, and it should have been collected within two hours of the initial report.
Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure, said: “We take reports of fly-tipping very seriously and tackling this issue is a high priority for the council.
“We should not have to tolerate this illegal behaviour of fly-tipping and have adopted a number of methods to tackle the issue including installing CCTV, monitoring hot spots, and fining offenders.”
