Bermuda must decide for itself how best to deal with several containers of asbestos it wants to get rid of, a United Kingdom official says.

And if Bermuda still plans to export asbestos to the United Kingdom for disposal on land, a formal agreement between Bermuda and the United Kingdom must be negotiated first.

James Clappison, Minister for the UK Department of the Environment, made this statement in the House of Commons in response to a parliamentary question on July 19.

Matthew Taylor, a Liberal Democrat for the constituency of Truro, asked Mr.

Clappison what assistance his department intended to give to Bermuda as it tried to find a way to dispose of several containers of asbestos.

In reply, Mr. Clappison told the House of Commons Bermuda would make its own decision on the matter.

"I understand that a number of options are under consideration, including seeking disposal on land in the United Kingdom, but no final decisions have been taken,'' he said.

"Should Bermuda wish to export asbestos waste to the United Kingdom for disposal on land, this would require a formal agreement between the two Governments for the purposes of the Basel Convention.'' The Basel Convention controls the movement of hazardous waste and its disposal.

He continued: "Any request from Bermuda for such an agreement would be considered on its merits, in accordance with the policies set out in the United Kingdom Management Plan for Exports and Imports of Waste.'' There has been much criticism of Government's original plan to dump 165 containers of asbestos into the ocean off St. David's.

The U-turn on dumping came after pressure mounted inside and outside the Island to stop the dumping plans.

Government wanted to dump 165 containers of asbestos -- which causes cancer if breathed in -- 18 miles offshore. The asbestos came from removal projects on public and private buildings.

But an estimated 200 containers worth of the material is thought to be in buildings on the former US Base lands on the Island.

Both the Progressive Labour Party and the International watchdog Greenpeace have criticised the sea-dumping decision and Government is currently considering other options.

Among them are shipping the asbestos to a landfill in the UK or to South Carolina in the United States.

Environment Minister Pamela Gordon was off the Island and was unavailable to comment yesterday.

But acting Environment Minister John Barritt said through a spokesman that Government expected to hear from the United Kingdom sometime in the near future.

"We expect to hear in the next week maybe ten days,'' he said. "And we are still cautiously optimistic that they will be able to help us.''