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Clare County Council has commissioned an external independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the depositing of asbestos-cement materials at a number of sites throughout West Clare.
The council says it has informed the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) of its intention to remove the hazardous waste material from 9 separate locations in the vicinity of Kilrush and Kilkee.
A specialist asbestos consultant has been engaged by the council to advise the authority on the removal of the materials. The elected members have been informed about the process while the council has confirmed it will be liaising with members of the public living in the vicinity of the affected sites about the remedial works that are due to take place.
A Clare County Council spokesperson stated: "Clare County Council's Environment section received a complaint from a member of the public last June regarding a number of areas where asbestos waste materials were deposited.
"The council has since identified 9 sites where pieces of asbestos waste material are located on the surface and potentially buried. 6 sites are in the vicinity of Kilkee while the remaining 3 sites are located in the vicinity of Kilrush.
"All of the asbestos material investigated to date consists of broken pieces of asbestos cement water main. It is considered that all of this material originated on Clare County Council water services mains replacement and mains repair works. The material appears to have been deposited over an undetermined number of years up to June 2013.
"Asbestos waste material disposal is governed by legal requirements and the requirements of the HSA and the EPA. Clare County Council is currently investigating why the asbestos material was deposited at the locations and not disposed of accordingly," the spokesperson added.
Clare County Council confirmed it has written to the HSA informing it of its intention to commence the first of three phases of work relating to the removal of the asbestos-cement materials in two weeks.
(CD/JP)
