The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is progressing its investigation into the discovery of bonded asbestos at Rozelle Parklands and surrounds and will now include additional sites that we have been notified about late yesterday.
When the EPA was first notified by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) on 10 January that it had found bonded asbestos at Rozelle Parklands, the EPA immediately commenced an investigation.
This is a complex investigation involving multiple lines of enquiry, including the mulch supply chain and the potential presence of legacy asbestos at these sites.
All lines of enquiry will involve complex investigations and testing, and we’ll be looking into the entire supply chain, including the testing and monitoring of recycled mulch from production to delivery and placement.
At this point in time, we cannot rule in or out any potential source for this contamination.
An investigation of this scale takes time and needs to be done rigorously and carefully and the EPA has committed significant resources to establishing how this material has found its way to Rozelle Parklands and other TfNSW infrastructure project sites.
Our number one priority is human health so we have issued a Clean Up Notice to TfNSW for the removal of all mulch in the Rozelle Parklands and surrounds, and a Prevention Notice to the supplier of the mulch to ensure this product cannot be on sold while our investigation is continuing.
We are also reviewing details of the latest finds and will visit those sites with a view to issuing additional Clean Up Notices for the removal of impacted mulch.
We will consider further regulatory action as our investigation continues.
It’s important to note that NSW Health advice is that bonded asbestos is very low risk, but we encourage the community to call our Environment Line on 131 555 if they have any concerns about recycled mulch around their homes.
Our investigation is ongoing.
