City of Sydney begins testing another 32 parks for asbestos contaminated mulch

Following test results received on 12th February that confirmed findings of asbestos contaminated mulch in three City parks, the City of Sydney will begin testing another 32 parks where they believe a contaminated mulch product may have been used.

The results identified bonded asbestos in mulch at Victoria Park and Belmore Park. Friable asbestos was found in mulch at Harmony Park in Surry Hills.

City staff closed Harmony Park to the public while the contaminated mulch is cleaned up. Victoria and Belmore parks have had areas sectioned off ahead of being cleaned. This work will be carried out by licensed asbestos removalists.

This follows advice from the EPA that they’d discovered a link to Greenlife Resource Recovery deep in the supply chain of one of the City’s contractors.

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. Council will prioritise inspections at the parks with greater usage and anticipate this to take several weeks.

Council urges everyone to avoid the mulched garden beds and mulched areas under trees at these parks while the inspections are being carried out. The affected mulch is only used in garden beds and under trees, not in park playgrounds.

City of Sydney notes that they “shares the community’s concerns this contaminated product has been supplied to us. Our focus right now is on safety and identifying the sites where there may be contaminated mulch product.”

Parks in Forest Lodge, Ultimo, Glebe, Dawes Point, Pyrmont, Millers Point, Camperdown, Surry Hills and Chippendale will be examined, including the popular Jubilee, Wentworth and Harold Parks.

The New South Wales government also confirmed on Tuesday evening that more asbestos had been found after testing of a garden bed at the Parramatta Light Rail site.

Greenlife – the company that supplied mulch found to be contaminated with asbestos across Sydney, including at a primary school – has launched a legal challenge against the environmental watchdog as it fights to keep selling the product.

The company filed an appeal in the state’s land and environment court against the NSW Environment Protection Authority to challenge the prevention notice issued earlier this month banning it from selling mulch, after bonded asbestos was discovered in recycled garden mulch it supplied for the Rozelle parklands and other state infrastructure projects.

The order prevents Greenlife from moving mulch from its facility in Bringelly in south-western Sydney until the EPA completes its investigation.

If residents have any concerns, NSW Health has more details about asbestos and health risks.

NSW Premier, Chris Minns, has vowed to crack down on operators who had been found to have done “the wrong thing”, announcing he would take a proposal for increased fines to cabinet.

He said the discovery of asbestos in parks, schools and hospitals over the past month was “completely unacceptable”.

The full list of parks within the City of Sydney 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