Government officials have kept $1 million in reserve to clear Bermuda of tonnes of asbestos.

The cash has been locked up by the Works and Engineering Department so the Island can finally be rid of the deadly dust which is being stored in thermal bags.

The asbestos, secured in several containers dotted around Bermuda shores, was discovered during demolition work on old military bases.

Some of the asbestos was found in Bermuda quarries and other fibres were uncovered at the old US Naval Air station at Southside, St. David's, which is being prepared for a 30-year redevelopment.

Government technical officers are already planning a second fact-finding mission to a US recycling plant which makes asbestos safe.

And the cash in reserve could be used to build a similar plant in Bermuda this summer -- so the asbestos can be recycled and used in road surfaces.

Environment Minister Irving Pearman told The Royal Gazette : "Works and Engineering have been reserving funds to clear this asbestos issue for some time now.

"There is $1 million in the pot already. We have been satisfied for some time that we have the ability to deal with this.

"I have been working together with the Finance Minister and the Works and Engineering Minister on this issue and we will have the matter sorted out.'' Asbestos recycling plant supported He said the money would be used to find a solution to the asbestos problem -- even if the recycling plant was not built.

But Mr. Pearman added that Government supported building a plant "in principle''.

He said: "We are arranging one more visit to the asbestos plant in Washington State to be absolutely satisfied that the process meets our environmental standards.

"Senior technical officers and representatives from two local companies, which represent the makers of recycling plants in the US, will be on the trip.

"That is being scheduled for April so Government should be in a position to make a final decision in May or June.'' He said the technical officers, from Environment and Works and Engineering, would file a report to Government chiefs on whether a similar plant would be viable in Bermuda.

Mr. Pearman said: "It is even feasible that we could start the bidding process to build a plant here as early as this summer.

"First we must be satisfied that this is the right approach although the recycling process seems to be very efficient so far.'' He said the only drawback was that the asbestos plant used a lot of electricity.

And Mr. Pearman said Government environmentalists still wanted safeguards that asbestos could not leak out during transportation to and from the plant.

The recycling plant being considered would transform asbestos from a cancer-causing substance to a safe, toxic-free material.

Dangerous elements are removed by using thermal chemicals to heat the asbestos in a furnace. It is understood there are no harmful side-effects and no pollution can escape.

And the new asbestos product can be mixed with concrete or used in aggregate for road surfaces.

ENVIRONMENT ENV