Asbestos crisis: Number of contaminated sites in Sydney grows to 41
Seven more sites across Sydney have been confirmed as containing bonded asbestos in mulch. A school, a supermarket and a walking trail have been added to the growing list of sites as the crisis deepens.
NSW
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Seven more sites across Sydney have been confirmed as having asbestos in mulch as the city’s crisis deepens.
Domremy College in Five Dock, Aldi Supermarket in Cobbitty, Riverstone Sports Centre and the Carlingford-to-Parramatta shared path are among the sites that returned positive results and will be contained until further notice.
Three other sites have returned positive results but are not being identified for privacy reasons.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) confirmed that Domremy College will remain open on Monday.
“Domremy College has advised that the impacted area is isolated and cordoned off and that school is open today,” The EPA statement read.
“A hygienist has been engaged to determine the next steps, in consultation with government advisers.”
These new detections of bonded asbestos take the total number of positive sites to 41. NSW Health advises that bonded asbestos is low-risk to the community.
As of 6pm on Sunday, 683 tests have returned negative results since January 10.
“Over the weekend, Fire and Rescue NSW crews inspected more than 120 sites identified by the EPA, with more than 70 completed yesterday (Sunday),” The EPA statement continued.
“The EPA would like to thank Fire and Rescue NSW crews for their professionalism and help to expedite testing to support our operations.”
Authorities are still awaiting results from previously identified schools including Edmondson Park Public School, Mount Annan Christian College in Currans Hill and Trinity Catholic Primary School in Kemps Creek.
“We understand this may be unsettling for these school communities but these results are expected later today,” EPA said.
“All schools have made individual risk assessments based on the amount and distribution of mulch onsite.”
MORE SCHOOLS ADDED TO THE BONDED ASBESTOS LIST
Asbestos-contaminated mulch has been discovered at two more schools across Sydney
Mulch used at Penrith Christian School in Orchard Hills and St Luke’s Catholic College in Marsden Park was found to have traces of bonded asbestos overnight.
Students and teachers at St Luke’s have been advised the school will close for one week while the mulch is removed.
Penrith Christian School has been advised a single pile of mulch is contaminated and is not accessible by students. The school had not been advised to close.
This brings the number of schools where contaminated mulch has been found to four, after Liverpool West Public School and Allambie Heights Public School were identified.
These new detections of bonded asbestos take the total number of positive sites to 34.
NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar said on Sunday four more schools were still waiting for results, including Doremy School in Five Dock, Edmondson Park Public School, St Michael’s Catholic Primary School in Daceyville and Westmead Christian Grammar School.
Mr Dizdar said results were expected for those school later today.
Sutherland Hospital will also undergo immediate testing, with the potential at-risk area currently fenced off from the public.
Tests of mulch at International Grammar School and Westmead Christian Grammar school came back negative
Health advises bonded asbestos is low-risk to the community,” a statement from the Environmental Protection Authority said.
In good news for Taylor Swift fans, no upcoming concerts will be impeded by the potential presence of asbestos at Sydney Olympic Park.
Environmental Protection Agency chief executive Tony Chappel said tests from all potential sites of concern around the stadium had come back negative.
“I can say with certainty the Harbour city is ready to welcome Taylor Swift with open arms,” he said.
“The total number of tests that have returned negative results as part of this work is 662.”
He added while the mulch from the two new positive school sites came from the same supplier as the others, the EPA has yet to come to a conclusion around who is to blame.
“We haven’t ruled any particular ultimate causation,” he said.
“It’s certainly unhelpful at this point for anyone to attribute blame as we have consistently said this is a complex supply chain.”
However Sutherland Hospital has been identified for priority testing, and as a precaution an at-risk area has been fenced off.
Inspection of the site and testing has been arranged.
“The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has advised the EPA it has taken the precautionary measure of restricting access to a garden bed near the Audley Boatshed in the Royal National Park while materials found in mulch are tested,” a statement form the EPA said.
“Fire and Rescue NSW crews are playing a critical role supporting the EPA this weekend. “Yesterday, crews inspected nearly 60 sites identified by the EPA. This is precautionary testing only and at this stage there is no indication that any of these sites have asbestos.”
It comes after the number of asbestos positive sites across the city grew to 32 on Saturday as Sydney struggles with the deepening crisis.
An additional four schools that may have contaminated mulch on their grounds have been added to the list for precautionary testing over the weekend.
The schools located in various suburbs across the city include Domremy College, Edmondson Park Public School, St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, and Trinity Catholic Primary School.
It is understood the schools all received mulch from the same manufacturer linked to other confirmed asbestos contamination sites.
Investigations and testing have previously been conducted at International Grammar School, Mt Annan Christian College, North Sydney Public School, Penrith Christian School, St Luke’s Catholic College and Westmead Christian Grammar School.
No bonded or friable asbestos was detected at North Sydney Public School following testing on Friday.
The University of Sydney will also be tested this weekend after it was identified as a potential site.
The widespread testing follows the NSW Government’s creation of an Asbestos Taskforce to provide more support and resources to EPA’s existing investigations.
The EPA said almost 300 samples have been taken and the rate of positive results is about 10 per cent.
Mulch supplier Greenlife Resource Recovery Facility recycles wooden pallets into the garden product which was linked to the material which was found at multiple contaminated sites. The company has consistently denied the contamination came from their product, instead suggesting the mulch was used on remediated sites, where asbestos was previously used.
“There are media reports suggesting because GRRF is the common source, then it must be responsible for the asbestos contamination. This is incorrect,” a statement from Greenlife said.
“There are multiple different occasions when this mulch is handled. It is transported in contractors’ trucks, sent to various landscape companies and nurseries, it is delivered to building sites, and moved on site by the construction companies and contractors.”
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