Yarrawarrah Public School: Asbestos found beneath oval
Parents are horrified after a Sydney primary school’s oval was found to be riddled with non-bonded asbestos in soil just 1cm below the surface over the ground. Bonded asbestos was also found above the ground – causing the community alarm.
St George Shire Standard
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Asbestos has been discovered in a Sydney primary school’s oval almost two years after worried parents first begged the NSW Government to assess the site’s safety.
A Department of Education employee informed Yarrawarrah Public School parents friable, non-bonded asbestos had been found in soil just 1cm below ground level of the school oval’s surface.
“The Department of Education recently commissioned an investigation to identify potential asbestos-containing materials in the school oval and if required inform a remediation plan for the Yarrawarrah Public School oval,” a formal letter to parents stated.
“The department has now received the independent hygienist’s report and can advise that at the surface of the oval one bonded fragment of asbestos was identified and removed, and five borehole samples returned positive results for non-bonded friable asbestos.”
The St George Shire Standard has viewed a letter sent to Heathcote state Liberal MP Lee Evans in November 2018 begging him to intervene with the Department of Education so the oval could be remediated.
However, the oval was not cordoned off and assessed until June 13 this year.
A Department of Education spokesman said recent drought and heavy rain which caused erosion had led to “the reoccurrence of bonded asbestos fragments on the surface of the oval”.
“Previously, bonded asbestos fragments were identified at the site and on each occasion, the material was promptly removed and a clearance certificate provided for the site in accordance with the department’s Asbestos Management Plan,” the spokesman said.
“The site will be remediated at the Department’s cost under a Remediation Action Plan before it is available for school use again.”
NSW Labor education spokeswoman Prue Car slammed the “gross mismanagement” of parents’ long-term concerns about the oval.
“Why was this school community kept in the dark when the Education Department would have known all along there was asbestos in the oval?” Ms Car said.
“The culture of secrecy and cover-ups under this government’s management of the education system has to end.”
The school’s cricket pitch had to be removed due to the asbestos, and the students’ pet chickens also had to be rehomed to members of the community.
“Prior to receiving the hygienist’s report the department proactively installed full perimeter fencing and air monitoring on June 13, and sprayed the oval with a polymer binding agent on June 15,” a letter stated.
“All air monitoring conducted to date has returned results below the minimum detection limit.”
The independent hygienist is now visiting the school daily to inspect the site and ensure control measures are maintained.