Taylor Swift’s Sydney concert venue to be tested for asbestos after mulch contamination scare

A major twist has emerged ahead of Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated concert in Sydney following a mulch contamination disaster across NSW.

The location of Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated Sydney concert will be tested for asbestos, following widespread contamination of garden mulch across the state.

Hundreds of thousands of fans of the pop superstar will descend on Sydney Olympic Park next week for the Australian leg of her Eras Tour – touted as one of the biggest concert tours of all time.

But an asbestos scare in NSW has led Sydney Olympic Park authorities to confirm they will be testing mulch used on a median strip on a divided road at the complex.

NSW authorities have confirmed the location of Taylor Swift’s (pictured) concert in Sydney will be tested for asbestos following a contamination scare across the NSW capital. Picture: Suzanne Cordeiro / AFP

The mulch was confirmed to have come from a supply chain currently under investigation.

NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said an initial test found no asbestos but a backup test was being conducted as a precaution.

“We are testing samples but, regardless, we can remove the mulch and remediate in time for Taylor Swift to perform,” Ms Sharpe said.

“This will not stop Taylor Swift performing in Sydney.”

It follows NSW’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday announcing a criminal investigation would be conducted into whether foul play was involved in the asbestos contamination of garden mulch used throughout Sydney.

More than 70 garden beds and parks are being tested across the city.

Asbestos was found in Victoria Park in Ultimo, adding the location to a long list of contaminated sites. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

There have been 25 confirmed locations to contain the deadly material, with St John of God Hospital in North Richmond, Kellyville Woolworths and a Transport for NSW park at Wiley Park being added to the confirmed contamination site list.

Multiple schools have also been identified for precautionary testing.

Southwest Sydney based mulch supplier Greenlife Resource Recovery Facility (GRRF) recycles wooden pallets into the garden product which was linked to the material which was found at multiple contaminated sites.

Taylor Swift’s Sydney concert will still go ahead as planned, with NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe saying affected sites could be remediated in time for next week’s concert. Picture: Michael Tran / AFP)

Mecole Hardman Jr of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Picture: Getty Images via AFP

But GRRF’s lawyer Ross Fox said a test of the remaining stockpile of mulch at the operations centre returned a negative result. the EPA visited their operations centre and inspected their remaining stockpile of mulch.

Taylor Swift will perform her first show tonight at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Victoria, performing her three-and-a-half hour setlist each night until Sunday.

She will then fly to Sydney next week for the four-night run from February 23-26.

The pop singer spent last weekend in the US, trekking across the globe to watch her boyfriend Travis Kelce during the Super Bowl.

– Additional reporting by Madeleine Achenza