Asbestos contaminated mulch found at three more Sydney sites
More sites in Sydney have tested positive for asbestos, as the park where the contaminated mulch was first discovered remains locked down.
Asbestos has been detected in three more sites across Sydney’s west as authorities work to track down how contaminated mulch was able to spread so far throughout the city.
Recycled mulch containing bonded asbestos was found at five metro substations at Dulwich Hill, Canterbury and Bankstown, Transport for NSW confirmed on Wednesday.
The contaminated mulch was laid during landscaping work in October and the five sites are not accessible to the public.
Independent testing was also conducted at landscaped sites along the Prospect Highway between Prospect and Blacktown.
“A total of 31 samples were taken at two landscaped sites across the project, with four of these returning positive results for traces of bonded asbestos,” Transport for NSW said in a statement.
“The sites are fenced off to prevent any public access, and a remediation plan is being developed.”
While bonded asbestos is low risk compared to friable asbestos, bonded asbestos can become friable if the substance is damaged, or deteriorates through age.
“The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has been notified of all positive results and is continuing their investigation into the source of the contamination at Rozelle and [the metro] locations,” Transport for NSW said.
Transport for NSW also flagged that other sites could return a positive result for asbestos, as they confirmed they are investigating sites at the Western Sydney Airport.
“Further investigation on the West and Western Sydney Airport projects is being undertaken on the use of any recycled mulch on those project sites,” they said.
It comes as the Rozelle Parklands remain closed over the asbestos discovery, with the dangerous chemical discovered in the parklands not even a month after it opened in early December.
The government plans to spend months gutting the landscaped areas of the contaminated mulch and replacing it with a new organic product before reopening to the public.
The main contractor for Rozelle Parklands will now provide TfNSW a draft remediation plan to remove the 10 tonnes of contaminated mulch from Rozelle Parklands and any associated sites.
The Environmental Protection Agency has also issued the mulch supplier with a formal notice for it provide the regulator with information and records.
While the EPA stressed that very early advice” states the mulch was not used at locations other than Rozelle Parklands, the authority said it would review “all records pertaining to this batch of mulch”.
Originally published as Asbestos contaminated mulch found at three more Sydney sites
