Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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389. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to historic dumping sites of asbestos in the Athy, County Kildare area. [15349/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The primary responsibility for the management of any waste, including costs for removal or disposal, lies with the holder of the waste, i.e. the natural or legal person in possession of the waste, or the producer of the waste. The Waste Management Act 1996 imposes a general duty of care on holders of waste, under which a person may not hold, transport, recover or dispose of waste in a manner that causes, or is likely to cause, environmental pollution. In addition, in the case of hazardous waste, a holder of waste is required, without delay, to inform both the local authority concerned and the EPA of any loss, spillage, accident or other development concerning that waste which causes, or is likely to cause, environmental pollution.Enforcement actions against illegal waste activity are a matter for the local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) within the Environmental Protection Agency.

Asbestos is a hazardous waste and its management requires care, including in respect of relevant health and safety requirements. Further general information on asbestos, including disposal, can be obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency's website: I have not received any specific complaints in relation to dumping of asbestos in the area referred to.