Asbestos found in mulch at Melbourne park

Asbestos has been found in a Melbourne park after a resident reported suspicious items in mulch.

Hobsons Bay Council confirmed on Wednesday that two pieces of compound material found at the Donald McLean Reserve in Spotswood had been tested and contained asbestos.

Parts of Donald McLean Reserve in Spotswood taped off on Wednesday after asbestos-containing material was found.

Parts of the park, including a playground, have now been barricaded and taped off from the public.

The discovery comes after 75 sites in NSW, including seven schools, were recently identified as having asbestos-contaminated mulch.

Compound material found in tanbark near the new playground at Donald McLean Reserve.Credit: Jason Murphy

Hobsons Bay Council did not say whether the asbestos-containing material found around trees in the park was part of the mulch or had been dumped there.

“The playground has been closed since Tuesday and council is working with the hygienist and the EPA to determine a management plan to ensure the safety of our community,” a council spokesman said.

“There are two types of mulch used on the reserve – a recycled product around mature tree planting and a virgin soft mulch around the playground. The material was found in the recycled product.”

Investigators from the Environmental Protection Authority visited the site on Tuesday with a specialist material hygienist contracted by the council.

“EPA is in contact with Hobsons Bay City Council over reports of mulch at Donald McLean Reserve in Spotswood that may possibly contain demolition building materials,” an EPA spokeswoman said.

“EPA has visited the site and is satisfied with the council’s actions.”

The park opened in April last year after receiving funding through the West Gate Tunnel Project, as part of a state government initiative to improve parks and sporting facilities in the inner west.

A spokesperson for the West Gate Tunnel Project said the council oversaw construction of the playground and was leading the asbestos contamination investigation.

“We are liaising with Hobsons Bay City Council,” the spokesperson said.

Melbourne father Jason Murphy, who first reported the suspicious materials after visiting the park, said he saw insulated wires, chunks of brick and concrete, plywood of various kinds, bits of wood with nails in it and a chunk of unknown composite material.

“My kids were playing here and I was sitting under the tree when I noticed wood with nails in it and a lot of other stuff that was very surprising to find in that environment. The material should not be in mulch or tanbark at children’s playgrounds,” he said.

“Just imagine how horrified you’d feel if you saw your kid put this in their mouth. It’s a dereliction of the duty of care of everyone involved. This new playground is a fantastic asset, but I won’t be taking my kids back there until the problem is solved.”

Shadow Environment Minister James Newbury has called for the Allan government to explain how contaminated product came to be at the reserve, and to provide a guarantee that other Melbourne parks are safe.

“Every parent will be deeply concerned about asbestos being found near where children play,” Newbury said.

“Asbestos is seriously dangerous and it’s just not good enough that the substance was there.”

Since Sydney’s asbestos crisis started in early January, mulch containing asbestos has been found at 75 sites, including seven schools, a supermarket, hospitals and numerous public parks. The initial investigation was launched after a child took home bonded asbestos from a playground in the city’s inner west.

The crisis quickly spread north. The Queensland Environment Department detected easily crumbled asbestos in February. The discovery sparked concerns that dozens of locations, including schools, had received asbestos-contaminated mulch.

Separately on Wednesday, the EPA warned Victorians to avoid mulch advertised on Facebook marketplace and Gumtree, after asbestos was found in free mulch given to a resident in Melbourne’s east.

After the recent asbestos mulch scandal in NSW and Queensland, Victoria’s EPA revealed it was investigating the source of mulch given away free last year to a Heathmont resident that included asbestos and other industrial rubble.

EPA inspectors combing mulch at the reserve on Tuesday.Credit: Justin McManus

“I urge the community to watch out for anyone offering garden mulch who can’t demonstrate they follow appropriate high standards and quality checks to avoid contamination,” said the EPA’s director of regulatory services, Duncan Pendrigh. “If the offer seems too good to be true, be wary of it.”

The Heathmont resident contacted the EPA following the NSW mulch crisis.

The playground has also been closed.

The agency said it had inspected 59 commercial mulch producers across the state in March and no asbestos was found in any garden mulch being sold, although six operators were given warnings to increase their controls to prevent contamination.

Last week Upwey High School and Upwey Primary School parents were told asbestos may have been found on a freshly redeveloped school oval in Melbourne’s outer east after state railway corporation VicTrack used the site as a temporary car park.

The NSW contamination crisis prompted Queensland authorities to carry out testing to find asbestos traces at a dog park and a state school.

Victoria’s EPA said it had taken eight matters to court in the 2022-2023 financial years due to the mishandling of asbestos.

“In the current financial year, EPA has taken legal action in two criminal and two civil matters so far. Businesses found guilty of mishandling asbestos can incur penalties of up to $2 million,” a statement said.

Mulch suspected to contain asbestos or illegal dumping of materials can be reported to Victoria’s EPA contact centre on 1300 372 842 or [e-mail] 

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