The City of Sydney will begin testing another 32 parks across our area where we believe a 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. We will prioritise inspections at the parks with greater usage. We anticipate this will take several weeks.
We urge 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.
If further asbestos is found the area will be fenced and signs erected. We’ll keep the community informed as more updates are available.
This update follows test results received late yesterday (Monday 12 February) that confirmed asbestos in three City parks.
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.
Today, 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 our contractors.
The City of Sydney 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.
If residents have any concerns, NSW Health has more details about asbestos and health risks here.
The list of 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
City of Sydney Media Team contact details
Phone 02 9246 7292 or email mediateam@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au