BEACH CLOSURE Hazardous asbestos fibres found in sand force closure of Plymouth beach

Mount Batten Beach has been closed until further notice after hazardous levels of asbestos fibres were discovered in the sand, Plymouth City Council has confirmed.

The beach was closed on Friday following advice from the Director of Public Health and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), who said the move was necessary to protect public health while further investigations are carried out.

Asbestos-containing material was first discovered on the beach in 2019, but testing at the time found only low levels of fibres and the beach remained open with warning signs in place.

Since then, Plymouth City Council has undertaken regular clean-up operations every two months to remove asbestos-containing material washed onto the shoreline.

However, recent investigations have identified a significant increase in contamination.

Testing found asbestos fibres in 14 of 16 sand samples, with two different types of asbestos detected at concentrations classified as hazardous waste.

The fibres have the potential to pose a health risk if they become airborne and are inhaled.

As a result, the beach will remain closed while specialist testing is carried out to assess the risk of airborne fibres and determine the source of the contamination.

Professor Steve Maddern, Plymouth’s Director of Public Health, said: “Closing the beach is the last thing we want to do, but protecting public health has to come first.”

He urged the public to obey the closure signs and avoid entering the beach while the investigations continue.

Plymouth City Council said it will continue to monitor the site and provide further updates as soon as additional testing has been completed.

Anyone visiting the area is advised to respect the beach closure and follow all safety advice until the restrictions are lifted.