Asbestos Investigation Launched Over Burry Port Beach
An investigation has been launched after reports came in that asbestos had been found on a beach which is located near the site of an old power station.
The mayor of Burry Port, Mike Theodoulou, which is located in Carmarthenshire, was ‘furious about the situation’ and demanded the beach be cordoned off. He told how his own grandchildren play on the sands, and he was worried that they, and others, were at risk. Despite this worry, Carmarthenshire council insisted that the material posed “very little risk”.
Mr Theodoulou said that authority and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had been notified two months ago, but nothing had been done.
Mr Theodoulou noted that there are flaky bits of asbestos around the beach which children have been seen building sandcastles with. The mayor was also concerned that erosion could see asbestos being washed into the ocean from the site of the former Carmarthen Bay Power Station at the Millennium Coastal Park.
A spokesperson said “The material, that looks like rubble, and small sections of corrugated sheet, has been seen in a small area some way east of the harbour where coastal erosion is uncovering some remains of previous industrial use in the area”. The council has been reassuring members of the public that the wet conditions of the beach means the material poses very little risk, as asbestos fibres only become a risk if they are disturbed or airborne.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time asbestos has been found in this area. It was also noted in 2000, after the material was identified from Carmarthen Bay Power Station records. As coastal erosion continues, there is the chance that further asbestos containing materials will be revealed. Visitors and residents of this area are warned to leave the materials alone.
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