Exclusion zone in Drysdale school after asbestos found

An exclusion zone has been established after hazardous materials were discovered at a school on Bellarine Peninsula.

The basketball stadium at Bellarine Secondary College. Image: Google

An exclusion zone has been established at Bellarine Secondary College in Drysdale after asbestos was found on school grounds.

Kids’ basketball games on Monday were called off following the discovery.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said air quality monitoring was under way and the Victorian School Building Authority and independent occupational hygienists were working to appropriately manage the situation.

“Air quality monitoring returned results below detectable levels, and interim clearance has been granted by an independent occupational hygienist for all areas of the school outside the exclusion zone area,” the spokeswoman said.

“The health and safety of our students and staff is paramount.”

The spokeswoman said basketball games at the school were cancelled as a precautionary measure.

Bellarine Secondary College in Drysdale. Picture: Mark Wilson

The Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association said games would go ahead on Tuesday this week.

An off-limited exclusion zone has been established to the school community until further notice, with a licensed removalist engaged to remove the materials.

Bellarine Secondary College also has a campus in Ocean Grove.

The latest incident comes after it was reported in March that asbestos fibres had ben potentially drifting in the backyards and homes of neighbours on the Bellarine Peninsula.

In March it was also reported that a tip operator had been fined $50k for accepting more than 140 tonnes of waste that was incorrectly classified as “packaged waste asbestos.”

In December Winchelsea Primary School parents called for a new school to be built, saying existing classrooms were riddle with asbestos.

Originally published as Exclusion zone in Drysdale school after asbestos found