Asbestos found at 224 sites across Northern Ireland since 2018

More than 200 locations in Northern Ireland have been found to contain asbestos since 2018, with cleanup costs approaching £400,000 and some sites taking over a year to resolve, newly released data shows.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has identified asbestos at 224 sites across the region, with two locations accounting for the bulk of the hazardous material. In June 2023, 150 tonnes were discovered in Cookstown, while 120 tonnes were found at the Meridi Street bonfire site in July 2025 — a location the agency had been aware of since 2011. A criminal investigation into the Meridi Street discovery was launched in May 2025.

Cleanup operations have cost approximately £397,848 to date. While the average removal period is around 45 days, 20 cases have taken more than three months, and five sites remained under remediation for over a year.

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Questions over disposal records

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is facing scrutiny over the legal disposal of asbestos at a landfill site near residential housing in Lisbane, County Armagh. The department has told residents it cannot confirm whether materials were dumped legally, warning that relevant documentation may have been destroyed.

Local residents have called for greater transparency over how hazardous waste was handled near their homes.

Broader infrastructure concerns

The asbestos findings come alongside wider warnings about the state of public infrastructure in Northern Ireland. A recent Audit Office report found that only 40% of healthcare facilities are in a decent state of repair, with many buildings considered high risk and nearly half over 50 years old. The Western Health Trust alone requires more than half of the £251 million estimated for urgent maintenance across the region.

Asbestos issues across the UK

Similar safety concerns are emerging in other parts of the United Kingdom:

• Wales: In the Vale of Glamorgan, 112 council-owned buildings contain asbestos, including 40 schools and four healthcare centres. The council says it manages the materials in line with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.

• Scotland: The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has granted extensions for improvement notices at Torness nuclear power station. The notices were issued to EDF and Trillium Flow Services after workers were not adequately protected during asbestos removal from a valve — an action that was not recorded at the time. Improvements must be completed by the end of June 2026.

• England: In Cumbria, the Forum in Barrow has closed for two years following an asbestos discovery, while the Sands Centre auditorium remains shut until 2027 due to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in its roof.

As authorities in Northern Ireland continue managing the 224 identified sites, the Housing Executive has begun offering protective window boards to residents living near active bonfire sites. Deliveries are scheduled for July 10, 2026, to mitigate heat damage during seasonal events.

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