Calls for urgent action over suspected asbestos at Belfast bonfire site

Sunday World

15 hours ago

New images show the pyre being constructed in the Village area just yards from a pile of material believed to be contaminated with asbestos
Watch: Asbestos material close to a bonfire in the village area of South Belfast
A south Belfast councillor has called for urgent action to remove suspected hazardous asbestos waste from a bonfire site in the area, warning it poses a serious risk to public health.
New images show the pyre being constructed in the Village area just yards from a pile of material believed to be contaminated with asbestos.
The site, located near Meridi Street and Maldon Street, is privately owned land and has been the subject of environmental and planning concerns in recent years.
SDLP representative Séamas de Faoite, who sits on Belfast City Council's Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, is demanding immediate action.
'This is a matter of public safety and an urgent health risk,' he said.
'It's not about bonfires or anything else. I've repeatedly asked that Belfast City Council seek an injunction against the landowner and the NIEA to get the asbestos material removed.
"This cannot be allowed to drag on any further and potentially put people at risk.'
The dumped waste material is very near a bonfire site (Photo by Peter Morrison)
It comes after confirmation that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and Belfast City Council are working together to secure and clear the site.
Contractors have been instructed to fence off the hazardous material.
The land has previously been at the centre of a planning dispute with permission refused for a housing development due to the presence of contaminated waste.
With the bonfire expected to be lit in two weeks, politicians and residents have raised concerns about the proximity of the structure to the waste pile and the potential health impact of burning materials nearby.
The local authority said it is continuing to liaise with the NIEA and other relevant agencies but that responsibility for the land remains with the private owner.
Certain exposed asbestos materials can break and explode when exposed to flames.
All asbestos fibres are deemed to be carcinogenic category one, and cause severe damage when inhaled into the lungs.
Further discussions are expected in the coming days over how the site will be managed in the lead-up to the Eleventh Night.
The site, located near Meridi Street and Maldon Street, is privately owned land and has been the subject of environmental and planning concerns in recent years (Photo by Peter Morrison)
In a statement, a Belfast City Council spokesperson said elected representatives have agreed to potentially seek legal action to remove the materials and confirmed that NIEA is currently conducting its own probe.
'Council have been engaging with the landowner at this site to ensure that suspected asbestos containing materials are adequately secured,' they said .
"We have also served an abatement notice on the landowner requiring them to secure and contain the materials. NIEA is currently undertaking an enforcement investigation, as they are the lead enforcement authority in relation to this issue.
'Council continues to engage with NIEA and the landowner to ensure that the materials are removed as soon as possible. Elected members have also previously agreed that this may include pursuing legal action to ensure the materials are removed and the wider site secured. Council officers are also continuing to liaise with the local community to ensure that these materials remain fenced off.'
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) added: 'The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) received a complaint concerning potentially hazardous waste at a site in the vicinity of Meridi Street, Belfast on the afternoon of Friday 16 May.
'Staff from the Environmental Crime Unit within NIEA were in contact with Belfast City Council about the matter on Monday 19 May and enquiries are ongoing.'