COMMERCIAL waste containing asbestos is set to be disposed of at the landfill site in Newport after a change was made to the council's permit.

Newport City Council applied for a permit to establish a dedicated cell at its landfill site in Docks Way for the safe disposal of commercial waste containing asbestos.

A council spokeswoman said an application was made to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for the permit for the cell which would operate under ‘stringent conditions and at no risk to employees, the public or the environment.’

The spokeswoman said: “NRW has carried out a consultation on the proposal and have granted the permit. We expect the cell to begin operating in the near future.

“There are already private sector facilities that safely receive and dispose of asbestos waste in the city. This is the first time that the council looked to extended its range of services into this sector.”

Maesglas resident Brenda Williams, 67, of Cardiff Road, said she is concerned about the proposed asbestos cell.

She said: “I have spoken to a few people in Maesglas, my sister lives there, my nieces and nephews all live there but no one knows anything about it.

“We get a lot of dust from the tip and smells but this is going to affect everybody really. People are very concerned about it - I’ve spoken to 20 different people they have not been made aware.”

She added: “Wherever they position it, I think the tip is too near the estate. Surely they could have found a place a bit further away.”

Natural Resources Wales in a report said permits which are granted will include appropriate conditions to protect human health and the environment.

The report on its decision to grant the permit stated: “There is no risk to habitats in relation to asbestos containing wastes. The only hazards that may arise from asbestos containing wastes are to human health if asbestos fibres are unbound and broken up. This is not the case here.”

The report stated the proposal is ‘not likely to damage’ any of the features of the Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) sites located within 2km which includes the Severn Estuary, Gwent Levels and the River Usk.

A spokesman for Natural Resources Wales said: "Newport City Council applied to vary its existing permit to allow the acceptance and deposit of Stable Non-Reactive Hazardous Waste (SNRHW) in the form of asbestos containing wastes. The permit was issued on July 18.

"At the same time the Council has requested to reduce the amount of non-hazardous municipal waste it accepts and to modify the design of part of the site to allow the construction of a SNRHW monocell for the deposit of asbestos containing waste.

"New waste codes have been added to the original environmental permit to allow the operator to accept asbestos containing waste. The operator is required to carry out asbestos cell monitoring including monitoring of the stability and air quality monitoring for asbestos fibres and particulates. The operator is also required to adhere to annual waste input limits. Reporting of these monitoring requirements is required."