The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) investigation has confirmed positive results of asbestos in mulch at four additional sites. They are:
- Allambie Heights Public School,
- Two new residential estates under construction in Sydney’s south-west (not publicly accessible),
- Munn Park in Millers Point.
The Department of Education has confirmed that a single piece of bonded asbestos has been found in a garden bed at Allambie Heights Public School. The garden has been cordoned off since Friday morning and work will begin as soon as possible on remediation.
Three other sites have returned positive results but are not being identified for privacy reasons. They are not publicly accessible.
These new detections of bonded asbestos bring the total positive sites to 32. NSW Health advises bonded asbestos is low-risk to the community.
Since 10 January, the EPA has taken almost 300 samples. The rate of positive results is around 10 percent.
Testing at North Sydney Public School, one of the seven inspected yesterday, has found no bonded or friable asbestos.
As announced yesterday, seven schools have commenced inspections and precautionary testing. An additional four schools have been identified for precautionary testing:
- Domremy College in Five Dock,
- Edmondson Park Public School in Edmondson Park,
- St Michael’s Catholic Primary School in Daceyville, and
- Trinity Catholic Primary School in Kemps Creek.
The University of Sydney has also been identified as a potential site and will be tested this weekend.
Testing is also underway at Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) after the EPA identified landscaping on a median strip as a location for priority testing. At this stage, there is no sign of any asbestos in the mulch, and it is not in a highly trafficked area.
This is the biggest investigation the EPA has undertaken in decades, with additional resourcing from across the NSW Government.
The EPA is providing a daily update on our website.