Asbestos contamination in Sydney's mulch raises environmental concerns

A recent discovery of asbestos in mulch across Sydney has sparked a call for stricter regulations. The contaminated mulch was found in various locations, including Rozelle Parklands and several other sites, leading to public safety concerns.

David Hirst reports for ABC News.


In short:

  • The NSW Greens have urged for enhanced oversight by the Environmental Protection Authority following the detection of asbestos in mulch at various Sydney locations.
  • The contamination has led to the fencing off of affected sites by Transport for NSW, with locations including Rozelle Parklands and several others.
  • NSW Premier Chris Minns acknowledged the concern over the findings and expressed openness to regulatory changes if necessary, emphasizing the significance of the issue.

Key quote:

"Not every projected park or contact tracing park has tested positive to asbestos but to lock every single park up or school or hospital would just be beyond our resources."

— Chris Minns, NSW Premier.

Why this matters:

The presence of asbestos in public spaces, especially in a commonly used material like mulch, poses significant health risks. This issue highlights the need for rigorous environmental safety measures and responsible waste management, particularly in urban areas.

Is your child coloring with asbestos?

About the author(s):

EHN Curators
EHN Curators
Articles curated and summarized by the Environmental Health News' curation team. Some AI-based tools helped produce this text, with human oversight, fact checking and editing.

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