ASBESTOS, the toxic substance known to cause lung cancer, has been found amongst the contaminated material removed from land at Pyebush, near Beaconsfield.

Following a South Bucks District Council (SBDC) meeting held on Monday, December 5th, it has emerged that asbestos an old building substance no longer used and now linked to the deaths of thousands of people has been found in one of the loads of fly-tipped material removed from the land this year as part of a mass clean-up operation.

SBDC is currently paying the owner of the land £200,000 of taxpayer's money to manage the clean-up after it came to light earlier this year that it inadvertently fly-tipped on his site some five years ago.

Then, it built earth bunds to deter travellers from settling on the land but the council used polluted, fly-tipped material to make the bunds. SBDC's Overview and Scrutinee Committee is now monitoring the big clean-up which is raising lots of questions from concerned residents who grilled committee chairman Cllr Rodney Mountford at the meeting.

One resident asked: "Can Mr Mountford state clearly that the contaminated material, including bonded asbestos, has been removed from the site?"

Cllr Mountford confirmed that asbestos was found. He said: "It is believed that one load consisted of asbestos."

He added: "The head of property and contract services has written to the landowner requesting clarification of the amounts of material removed."

A council spokesman confirmed after the meeting that what was found on the site was a small amount of corrugated roofing, which is made of a cement and asbestos mix.

Cement stabilises asbestos and there was a very low risk of fibre release.

It also emerged that SBDC could yet be fined by the Environment Agency for the contamination blunder.

Another resident asked the question: "Given that this district council was the actual polluter of the Pyebush land, and given that the Environment Agency has a policy of always prosecuting and fining polluters a minimum of £50,000, can the head of services confirm that he has written confirmation from a named and empowered individual that they will not prosecute and fine SBDC?"

Mr Mountford replied: "The council does not have any written assurances that legal action will not be forthcoming from the Environment Agency."