Asbestos found on public land at Exton Street, North Lismore on Tuesday, 12 June 2018. Photo supplied. Information on the illegal dumping of asbestos is being sought by Lismore Council who have attended four separate instances of illegal dumping on public land involving asbestos sheeting since May 4. Asbestos containing material is highly hazardous and is something that should always be handled with extreme care. It is predominantly found in building materials that were used in housing construction between 1940 and 1990. Poor handling of asbestos can cause the release of asbestos fibres into the air, these fibres are around 50 to 200 times thinner than a human hair, can be invisible and can be easily breathed in. If they are breathed in they can become trapped deep in your lungs and cause damage over a long time.