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Asbestos reappears on Crosby Beach
Photos by Terry Hindle
THE beach is best known as the home of the Another Place
sculptures, which was installed by artist Antony Gormley, back in 2007. Sadly,
it is not just the art work that the tide reveals and hides daily, on the beach
at Crosby. Have you ever spotted the interesting pieces of brick and stonework
that is littering part of the beach as you head North, towards Hightown? This
section of the coastline hides a dark legacy from World War 2.
A reader, Terry Hindle, has contacted us after discovering
asbestos on Crosby Beach. This issue was 1st reported back in 2012, at the time
Sefton Council held emergency meetings about the issue. The asbestos was then
believed to be no immediate threat to the public, because of the environmental
conditions on the coast. It has been identified in the past as a type securely
bound into cement, known as chrysotile asbestos or more commonly known, white
asbestos.
The material is thought to have been dumped during or after 1948,
when rubble came from building damage during the Blitz, during World War 2. The
idea was to use the rubble from bomb damaged areas bolster the sea defences
along a 2.5 miles stretch of coastline, between Corsby and Hightown, and retain
the River Alt. As the erosion continues, at times it releases chunks of
asbestos, so if out and about within that area, keep an eye out for it! We would
like to point out that we are told that to become a potential health risk, the
material must be smashed up to release the fibres, but as its in the open air
environment, the chances of the fibres being inhaled are extremely small. At the
time it was 1st discovered the cost of removal was deemed to high for such a low
risk.
We are also told that regular tests have been made and continue
to be made in the area. We are contacting Sefton Council for more information
about this issue along with sending them Terry's photographs.
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