Mulch containing asbestos discovered at new sites in Sydney's inner west and west after discovery in Rozelle Parklands

Contaminated mulch containing asbestos has been identified overnight in Sydney's inner-west and western suburbs.

Key points:

Asbestos in mulch has been found along a highway and in electricity substations

Testing was conducted after a discovery of asbestos waste in Rozelle Parklands

The supplier used for the parklands project refuted claims there was asbestos in their mulch

Bonded asbestos was first discovered in recycled mulch near a playground in the Rozelle Parklands earlier this month, prompting the closure of the newly opened park.

Testing has now found bonded asbestos in recycled mulch used in traction substations in Dulwich Hill, Canterbury and Campsie, as well as along the Prospect Highway between Prospect and Blacktown.

The advice from NSW Health and Safe Work is that there is a low-to-negligible risk from bonded asbestos, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) secretary Josh Murray told ABC Radio Sydney.

However, last week the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said it considered the discovery at Rozelle "an emergency".

TfNSW said the affected sites were not accessible to the public and all but one sites have already been fenced-off.

"Sydney Metro contractor Systems Connect has conducted targeted testing at five traction substation locations where recycled mulch was used in landscaping work last October," TfNSW said in a statement.

"All five traction substations are not accessible to the public and are fenced-off.

"Positive traces were found at three of these sites at Dulwich Hill, Canterbury and Campsie while sites at Lakemba and Punchbowl did not return a positive result."

About 30 samples were also taken from two landscaped sites along the Prospect Highway, with four returning positive for asbestos.

Mulch supplier finds no asbestos in own samples

Alarm was first raised after some of the contaminated material was taken home by a child from the Rozelle Park and later reported to Transport for NSW.

So far, 17 samples have returned positive results, while more than 10 tonnes of asbestos waste is thought to have been used in that area.

The builders behind Rozelle interchange and the park, John Holland CBP joint venture said the mulch was tested before, during and after delivery.

TfNSW is testing sites where recycled mulch was laid down over a 10-month period from March last year, the same time frame during which the product was delivered to Rozelle.

Transport projects currently underway where recycled mulch is being used are also being looked at.

"We haven't yet got to the ground-floor as to what the source of this material is," Mr Murray said.

He said the investigation was focusing on the supply chain.

"Clearly that's a line of inquiry and there's some gaps there in the supply chain that are now coming through that show this isn't just confined to the Rozelle landscaping supplies," Mr Murray said.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-24/nsw-additional-asbestos-found-in-rozelle-parklands/103382650