Calls to examine every wind farm for asbestos

The NSW opposition has demanded every wind turbine undergo an audit after deadly asbestos was discovered in a number of green energy sites.

Asbestos has been found in the brake pedals inside the lifts of several wind turbines across the country.

Growing concerns about asbestos contamination have prompted the NSW opposition to demand an urgent audit of every wind farm in NSW.

It comes after several green energy companies discovered the deadly material inside their turbines, while more than 10 other sites across the country remain on alert for possible contamination.

Newly appointed NSW Nationals leader Gurmesh Singh told The Daily Telegraph “no worker should ever be asked to unknowingly risk their health on the job”.

“Access, operation, maintenance and servicing of all wind turbines should be suspended until they have been inspected for, and cleared, of containing asbestos,” Mr Singh said.

Opposition energy spokesman James Griffin accused the Minns government of “ignoring community concerns and pushing ahead blindly” with the energy transition.

“Whether it’s a lack of certainty around decommissioning, or poor community impact management, the government is failing when it comes to energy policy in NSW,” Mr Griffin said.

There are roughly 900 individual wind turbines, switched on between 1998 and 2025, operating across the NSWe.

The Telegraph can reveal a group of 79 concerned farmers and community groups will on Thursday send a letter of concern to the Albanese government, calling for wind farms to be switched off until their imported components can be comprehensively examined.

One of the signatories, Alex O’Brien from Responsible Future Illawarra, said the action was needed to check the green energy projects for asbestos and other possible chemicals.

“In the rush to meet arbitrary energy targets, Australia turned a blind eye to the supply chain — exactly what whistleblowers had been warning us about,” Mr O’Brien said.

Asbestos has been found in the brake pedals inside the lifts of several wind turbines across the country.

Let’s Think Renewables president Katy McCallum said “asbestos inside wind turbines is a wake-up call”.

“Every worker who enters these machine devices deserves to know they are safe,” she said.

The Queensland Coalition government on Tuesday ordered an audit into all operational wind turbines following the latest revelations.

Goldwind, a global energy company with its head office in Beijing, has supplied turbines for more than 10 projects across the country, including Squadron Energy’s Clarke Creek, owned by Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest.

In a statement, Squadron claimed the discovery was “an industry-wide issue stemming from a component that would fit in the palm of your hand”.

NSW Nationals leader Gurmesh Singh has demanded every wind turbine in NSW undergo an immediate audit for asbestos. Picture: Richard Dobson

“There has been no detection of airborne asbestos and work is underway to resolve the issue. There is no risk to the community,” Squadron said.

The Telegraph revealed last week workers attached to another turbine company, Vestas, were called in last week and warned asbestos had also been found in the brake pads.

Beijing Energy International Australia also confirmed the deadly material had been discovered at its Biala Wind Farm, near Gunnedah in northern NSW.

Originally published as Calls to examine every wind farm for asbestos