'Bury it like everyone else': Tipperary councilors call for asbestos removal support
‘We are now seeing quotes of €10,000 to €12,000 simply to remove asbestos roofing materials before a single cent is spent on replacement works.’
Tippperary County Council's elected members have appealed to two government ministers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to introduce grants and other supports to assist households facing prohibitive costs for safely removing and disposing of asbestos.
Councillors unanimously approved a motion at the local authority's September meeting requesting an “urgent review” of the cost barriers faced by homeowners in safely removing and disposing of asbestos roofing and other legacy materials to prevent illegal dumping.
The motion, tabled by Labour Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh, requested the ministers and EPA consider the introduction of targeted national supports including capped asbestos disposal grants; local authority led collection or contractor schemes to reduce individual household costs; or VAT relief on asbestos removal and disposal works.
Cllr Morgan Walsh noted how other EU countries operate schemes to reduce illegal dumping and support energy efficiency upgrades, and that similar measures should be examined for Ireland. Households across Tipperary face “extraordinary, often prohibitive costs”.
“These expenses are actively preventing people from upgrading older homes and rural properties,” she argued.
“On asbestos removal, I want to be very clear, nobody is asking for lower safety standards. What people are asking for is fairness and practicality. We are now seeing quotes of €10,000 to €12,000 simply to remove asbestos roofing materials before a single cent is spent on replacement works.”
She pointed out that asbestos building materials were legal and widely used in the past. Many current homeowners did not install them, yet they are now carrying the full financial burden of safe disposal.
“And what’s happening as a result,” she asked. “People are being told locally to 'bury it like everyone else does'.
“That is exactly the kind of unsafe behaviour we want to prevent.”
She noted that Poland, Belgium and other EU countries have introduced capped disposal grants, subsidised collection services, bulk contractor arrangements and integration with retrofit programmes to prevent the illegal dumping of asbestos.
“These are public health measures, environmental protection measures, and anti dumping measures. Ireland should not be an outlier,” Cllr Morgan Walsh added.