Asbestos mulch alert: Private school, dog park among possible sites

Asbestos-tainted compost may have been used at three Queensland schools and a dog park, with urgent testing under way. SEE THE MAP OF SITES OF CONCERN

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Tonnes of potentially contaminated soil has been spread across schools, constructions sites and landscape suppliers across Queensland authorities have revealed, with two schools added to a list of impacted sites.

Construction sites at four sites--- three of them schools—have been cordoned off as a result of potentially having asbestos-tainted compost manufactured by troubled waste company NuGrow.

But truckloads more have been used in construction sites across the southeast, particularly as underlay for turf or in garden beds ultimately covered under a thick layer of mulch.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland regulator Peter McKay said the risk to the public remained “minimal” in part because of the low level found at NuGrow’s Ipswich site, and how the soil has been used.

St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School was delivered mulch which may be contaminated with Asbestos. Picture David Clark

“In simple terms, the (product has) been designed for use outdoors. So the use of that outdoors means that if it is disturbed, the potential of any exposure to fibres is lessened because of the open air dilution,” he said.

The Department of Environment and Science is now working to determine the levels of asbestos within four soil stockpiles at NuGrow Ipswich, with testing results due back from overloaded labs next week.

A total of 23 sites in southeast Queensland were tested as part of a proactive campaign to identify any potential asbestos contamination in mulch and compost in light of the crisis gripping New South Wales.

Results for 18 of the sites have returned, with NuGrow Ipswich still the only facility to have tested positive.

The amount of asbestos found was small—just two strands no more than 3mm long.

Department of Environment and Science executive director Brad Wirth confirmed green waste processing facilities—which is the stop before materials go to businesses like NuGrow—were tested.

A total of 16 businesses stretching from Hervey Bay to the Gold Coast have received soil from NuGrow Ipswich since the start of February.

“We think this has gone to probably 16 landscaping supply businesses, leaving in truckloads,” Mr McKay said.

St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School was delivered mulch which may be contaminated. Picture David Clark

A number of businesses who spoke to the Courier-Mail confirmed the soil they had sourced from NuGrow was no longer on-site after being used in projects.

Mr McKay said there was no legal requirement for the businesses to test the NuGrow soil they have on hand, but they did need to “appropriately manage the hazard”.

The three schools impacted were St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School in Corinda, Calamvale Special School, and Walloon State School in Rosewood.

The fourth site was a dog park in developer Mirvac’s planned community Everleigh. The park was still under construction and not accessible by the public.

Trucks near NuGrow site, Swanbank. Picture: Liam Kidston

A Mirvac spokeswoman confirmed their landscape contractor, Landscape Solutions, had sourced materials from NuGrow for works being undertaken at two parks under construction.

“As a precaution construction access has also now been shut down and both parks fenced off,” she said.

The spokeswoman for St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School said authorities had assured them the risk was “very low” or “negligible”.

The school’s sporting fields, where the performance centre is being built, is 1.5km from the main campus.

Asbestos has been detected in a compost stockpile at NuGrow Ipswich’s site. Picture: Liam Kidston

“The safety of our students, staff and all members of our school community is our highest priority. Despite this site not being accessed by our staff or students, we have notified our community of this matter,” the spokeswoman said.

“In addition to the testing, the building contractor immediately cordoned off the potentially affected area which is not accessed by students or staff members.

NuGrow confirmed it was working with regulators to quarantine the stockpile and cease any offsite movement of materials unless certified to be asbestos free.

The company also asserted the amount of asbestos found was “extremely low” and was the equivalent concentration that could be found in any random sample of sand, mulch or soil taken from any public space.