Asbestos has been found at more sites across Sydney — including at three popular parks.
Members of the public were able to continue using one of the parks on Tuesday, even though authorities knew it contained the most dangerous type of asbestos.
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“Clearly this is completely unacceptable,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said on Tuesday.
More bonded asbestos has been found mixed in mulch — including at Victoria Park, Belmore Park and the site of the Parramatta Light Rail.
But it’s the discovery of the more dangerous friable asbestos at Harmony Park at Surry Hills that has prompted authorities to ramp up the investigation.
Minns said they will work “to determine how and why and where these pieces of asbestos are appearing”.
In the month since contaminated mulch was first found at the Rozelle Parklands, 18 more sites have been discovered — including train stations, metro sites, highways, schools, hospitals and parks.
Despite Harmony Park testing positive on Monday, and a council-issued release going out on Monday night, the contaminated area was only fenced off just before lunchtime on Tuesday.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has increased its investigation team to 120 people, after advising that it discovered a link to mulch supplier Greenlife Resource Recovery in the supply chain of a council contractor.
The EPA is considering calling in the ACCC to issue a recall, but Greenlife is protesting its innocence.
Lawyer Ross Fox said the supplier is simply a “scapegoat” and “an easy target”.
“This is a complex supply chain that involved a lot of players,” he said.
Lawyers are now fighting to have a sale ban lifted, after EPA testing at its Bringelly headquarters came back negative.
Parks to be tested
In a release on Tuesday night, the City of Sydney said it will test 32 parks where it believes the contaminated mulch product may have been used.
“The affected areas will be taped off and signs put up informing residents and visitors about the possibility of contamination at the site ahead of inspections being carried out,” the council said.
“We will prioritise inspections at the parks with greater usage. We anticipate this will take several weeks.”
The council urged the community to avoid mulched garden beds and areas at this time.
The parks that will be tested in the coming weeks:
- Arcadia Park, Forest Lodge
- AV Henry Reserve, Forest Lodge
- Bicentennial Park 1, Glebe
- Bicentennial Park 2, Glebe
- Blackwattle Bay Park, Glebe
- Chippendale Green, Chippendale
- Clyne Reserve, Millers Point
- Cook & Phillip Park, Sydney
- Creek Street Reserve, Forest Lodge
- Dr H J Foley Rest Park, Glebe
- Frog Hollow Reserve, Surry Hills
- Giba Park, Pyrmont
- Harold Park, Forest Lodge
- James Watkinson Reserve, Pyrmont
- John Street Reserve, Glebe
- Jubilee Park, Glebe
- Larkin Street Park, Camperdown
- Minogue Reserve, Glebe
- Munn Reserve, Millers Point
- Observatory Hill Park, Millers Point
- Orphan School Creek, Forest Lodge
- Paradise Reserve, Pyrmont
- Pirrama Park, Pyrmont
- Pottinger Park West, Dawes Point
- Quarry St Streetscape & Steps, Ultimo
- Robyn Kemmis Reserve, Glebe
- Seamer Street Reserve, Glebe
- St James Park, Glebe
- Stewart Street Glebe Reserve, Glebe
- Toxteth Park, Glebe
- Wentworth Park, Ultimo
- Wood Street Playground, Forest Lodge
-With Taylor Aiken