Ipswich residents expose asbestos scandal

One week before asbestos was discovered at an Ipswich site, a group of residents sent an email to the Department of Environment asking if testing was going to happen at the composting facilities. READ THE EMAIL

Just one week before asbestos was discovered at a waste facility in Ipswich, concerned residents sent an email to the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) asking if testing for asbestos was going to happen at Swanbank.

A representative of the group, who asked not to be named, said community representatives attend monthly community reference groups with DESI.

After the meeting on February 20, the group asked DESI if testing for asbestos was planned after the asbestos discovery in Sydney earlier in the month.

“Will DESI be testing the mulching companies in Swanbank for asbestos, given all the incidents found in Sydney?”, the email read.

The email sent to DESI on February 20. Picture: Supplied

There was no response from DESI at the time. Seven days later, DESI revealed asbestos was detected in mulch at NuGrow Ipswich.

This comes after hundreds of residents have reported unpleasant odours in the areas surrounding Swanbank, with some residents developing painful rashes, while others have reported they have been unable to breathe outside their home.

Resident Tracey Butler described her symptoms as awful.

“I cough, dry retch then vomit. I have had stinging watery eyes. Irritated nose and heavy feeling on chest,” she said.

In response to the asbestos discovery, residents have shared their frustration online.

“Will they be paying for every resident within a 10km radius to have lung scans,” Kellie Bryan-Birditt asked.

A restraining order against NuGrow Ipswich was filed in December 2023, calling for a halt to odour-producing aspects of the business. The application was heard in the Planning and Environment Court, with the date of the decision yet to be determined.