More asbestos contaminated material found at Richardson Park development near Ludmilla Primary School

An asbestos dumping ground has been found near a Top End primary school, with the NT government ordered to clean up the hazardous material. See where.

An asbestos dumping ground has been found near a Top End primary school, with the NT government ordered to clean up the hazardous material.

The Department of Infrastructure has been hit with a second pollution notice by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) after an estimated 1600 cubic metres of asbestos containing material was found in Ludmilla.

The potentially lethal material was uncovered during the $7.1m revitalisation of the Richardson Park rugby league venue, next door to Ludmilla Primary School.

The buildings fell into disrepair after NRL NT abandoned it in 2014 due to fiscal mismanagement.

The demolition had been opposed by league diehards, who fought to save Richardson Park by applying to get a heritage listing for the “historic home” of the game since 1956.

In February 2021 the sporting centre was reduced to rubble, with construction crews flattening the old grandstand, toilet block, kiosk, gatehouse and clubhouse.

The new development would include an upgraded playing field, exercise equipment and a playground area for local children, and extend Richardson Drive to improve access to the school.

The EPA said that during preliminary works asbestos containing material impacted soils was found spread across 550sq m.

It said additional investigations found an estimated 816 tonnes of asbestos contaminated material.

The EPA issued a pollution abatement notice on August 23, 2021 detailing the requirements on the government to remediate the premises.

The NT Environment Protection Authority gave a pollution abatement notice to the Infrastructure Department for asbestos found near Ludmilla Primary School.

However, the EPA said between April and May, 2022 more asbestos was found and stockpiled in the northwest corner of the former rugby heartland and about 100m from the edge of the primary school.

It said there were seven asbestos dumping pockets, totalling 1600 cubic meters.

In July, EPA officers presented the Department with more options to again try to contain the hazardous material.

A year after the first pollution notice, the Department was hit with a second notice on August 23 this year.

Asbestos does not naturally decompose in the environment, meaning the health threats remain even if left alone for decades.

The material was commonly used in building construction up until the late 1980s, and has been linked to malignant lung cancers.

In the latest EPA notice, executive director Amy Dennison said the government had agreed to contain the hazardous material in a “containment cell”.

The Department was given until September 30 to hire an environmental or contaminated land consultant and a land auditor to oversee the remediation.

It was also given until the end of October to provide a Remedial Action Plan to identify, remove and store the asbestos contaminated soil.

The Department will also have to provide a long term plan to manage the asbestos risks, including preventing leaks from the containment cell, and restricting what vegetation could be grown on the site.

Contravention or failure to comply with a pollution abatement notice may be considered an offence under the Land Title Act 2000.

Asbestos discovered at Richardson Park site next to Ludmilla PrimarySchool. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The government had initially estimated the cost of demolition would reach $2.9m, and was expected to be complete by 2023.

A further $4.2m to be spent on the extension of Richardson Dr and the construction of the new facilities.

This was the first and only pollution notice handed out by the EPA so far this year, with four issued in 2021.

Originally published as More asbestos contaminated material found at Richardson Park development near Ludmilla Primary School