The Environmental Protection Authority is currently investigating the presence of asbestos fragments in the mulch of several parks in Melbourne. The fragments could potentially be the result of illegal dumping, as suggested by the environmental watchdog.
The EPA is focusing its investigation on up to six parks within the Hobsons Bay City Council and Merri-bek Council areas where asbestos fragments have been found. Specifically, three Altona North parks are at the center of the investigation, with uncertainty surrounding the source of the mulch supplied to GJ Hosken Reserve in 2017.
Additional parks such as Crofts Reserve, PJ Lynch Reserve, and Donald McLean Reserve have also been affected by the presence of asbestos fragments. The EPA suspects that the fragments found at PJ Lynch Reserve and the bonded asbestos debris at Donald McLean Reserve are a result of illegal waste dumping.
Furthermore, a concerned resident found two small “cement sheet like” fragments at Shore Reserve in Pascoe Vale South, which may potentially be asbestos. The EPA believes these fragments are likely due to littering rather than being present in the mulch supplied to the park.
In Merri-bek, reports of asbestos fragments during the construction of Hosken Reserve in North Coburg have prompted inspections. The EPA has confirmed that the asbestos is in the soil and not linked to a mulch supplier. The contaminated soil found in the construction site has been professionally removed, but additional asbestos-contaminated soil was recently discovered and is currently being removed.
As a precautionary measure, sections of Crofts Reserve, Hosken Reserve, and Lynch Reserve in Altona North will be closed until further notice according to Hobsons Bay City Council.
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