Yarrawarrah Public School oval asbestos to be investigated
The Education Department will conduct an investigation into asbestos found on a Sydney primary school’s oval two years after worried parents first brought their safety concerns to the NSW Government’s attention.
St George Shire Standard
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The Education Department will conduct a further investigation into asbestos found at a Sydney primary school two years after worried parents first brought their safety concerns to the NSW Government’s attention.
On Wednesday the St George Shire Standard exclusively revealed friable asbestos had been found in soil just 1cm below the surface of Yarrawarrah Public School’s oval.
The oval was only closed for remediation on June 13 this year, more than two years since parents first wrote to Heathcote state Liberal MP Lee Evans begging him to advocate for the school with the Education Department.
On Friday the Education Department sent a new letter home to parents promising to investigate the possibility of further asbestos in other areas of the school surrounding classrooms.
“To ensure the continued health and safety of the school community, the Department of Education will undertake further in-ground investigations at Yarrawarrah Public School during the July school holiday period,” the letter stated.
“The independent hygienist will obtain samples from additional areas adjacent to Blocks E, F, G and H to inform the department’s remediation action plan.”
The school oval will remain completely closed and the hygienist will inspect the site daily to ensure control measures are maintained.
A polymer binding agent has been applied to the oval to ensure non-bonded fragments are contained and air monitoring will also continue.
“The health, safety and wellbeing of the school community and local residents is our highest priority and we will continue to keep the community updated as the project is developed,” the letter continued.
A Department of Education spokesman had previously 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.