LOWER AUSTRIA: Police Declare War on Environmental Offenders

Several official actions and related reports to district authorities and magistrates have already taken place, explained Chief Inspector Johann Baumschlager from the State Police Directorate in St. Pölten upon request. He added that the executive in each district has specially trained environmental officers.

Disposal of Asbestos Products and Old Vehicles in the Police's Focus

The Chem-VerbotsV regulates the handling of hazardous chemicals. It is noted, among other things, that asbestos and asbestos products such as corrugated asbestos cement sheets, asbestos shingles, asbestos facade panels, asbestos flower troughs, floor coverings with asbestos vinyl backing, tile adhesive, asbestos cement water pipes represent "hazardous waste according to the Waste Catalogue Ordinance" from the time of dismantling. During the mechanical stress of asbestos cement through drilling, grinding, breaking, high-pressure cleaning, etc., the finest asbestos fibers, which are not visible to the eye, are released from the surface, "which are respirable and cannot be filtered out and excreted by the human defense mechanism." The marketing and use of used asbestos-containing products is prohibited according to the ordinance.

The AWG, in turn, states that old vehicles, if they have not been properly decontaminated (fuel, all oils and operating fluids, battery, propellant charges of safety devices removed), are always hazardous waste that may only be handed over to an authorized collector/processor. Such vehicles are "objectively classified as waste that must be disposed of" according to the provisions of the law. The police also pointed out on Friday the consequences of violations of the AWG or the Chem-VerbotsV. "Severe fines or even criminal consequences" are possible if the environment or human health is endangered. Education and prevention should inform about the dangers of improper handling of waste and improper waste disposal.

(APA/Red)

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