Roofers and builders reminded to follow duty of care (GOV.UK)
by Connor Burke
The Environment Agency (EA) is reminding construction professionals in Devon and Cornwall to take more care when making decisions regarding potentially dangerous waste disposal. The reminder comes after EA officers uncovered a considerable amount of asbestos waste at a site in the Southwest. The operator of the site was subsequently arrested by the police and questioned, before being released.
As we try to make clear through our blogs and courses here at CCUK, asbestos and other hazardous wastes require disposal by specialist contractors. Too often sites can illegally and un-safely handle this process causing all types of problems. As per the example made by GOV.UK this week, mishandling hazardous waste creates a serious risk to not only public health but to the environment and wildlife as well.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency, Kevin Baker, states, “Tradespeople that create waste, especially during activities like construction and roofing, must make sure that waste goes to a site legally able to accept it. If you get rid of asbestos or other waste at illegal sites, don’t be surprised if you get a knock on the door.”
Unfortunately, within the Devon and Cornwall area some people are successfully posing as legal waste collectors, however, after charging a fee for disposal, are simply dumping the construction waste at their earliest convenience. Air, ground and water can become polluted as a direct effect from this. Criminal actions such as this undermine legitimate waste collection businesses causing unnecessary financial strain at an already difficult time for many.
The moral of the story here is the Environment Agency urges members of the public to take further care when considering waste disposal. Follow the EA blog for steps builders can take to follow their duty of care.
You can find out more details on the above stories in the following article:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/roofers-and-builders-reminded-to-follow-duty-of-care
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