EPA orders Hobsons Bay City Council to act on asbestos findings in parks and reserves

April 8, 2024

Karen Sweaney

Hobsons Bay City Council, which stretches from the western side of Melbourne’s Yarra River mouth along the coastal western suburbs, was issued with two remedial notices yesterday by Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria following the identification of asbestos in a number of its parks and reserves.

The EPA notices order Hobsons Bay City Council to conduct proactive inspections for asbestos of more parks and gardens with work to commence today and be completed by 10th May. The council will need to keep EPA updated daily of its inspections.

Hobsons Bay City Council confirmed late on Friday that three further asbestos-contaminated sites had been identified following the discovery earlier in the week of asbestos in mulch in Melbourne’s west.

Asbestos-containing material was initially found in mulch next to a playground in Donald McLean Reserve in Spotswood on Monday of last week.

Asbestos was then also discovered in soil at a second park in the city’s north, with Merri-bek city council on Friday confirming the detection at Hosken Reserve in Coburg North, after an earlier discovery in late January.

The EPA stated last week that it suspected the asbestos came from an illegal dumping of construction waste.

Stephen Marett from remediation company GMA Asbestos told the ABC he had "an idea of the reputable mulch dealers in town, and I think they have pretty good standards".

He suspected the mulch came from other sources and was likely the result of commercial and industrial waste that didn't have asbestos removed prior to demolition.

Marett added "It's being brought into these recycling facilities and put through a mulcher and then being put into our parks and gardens for the public and our kids to breathe in” adding there were "virtually no regulations" around mulch, although he believed the bigger producers generally had checks and balances in place to ensure contamination did not occur.

Marett considered the cost pressures on Australia's construction industry were probably also a factor.

EPA now requires Hobsons Bay City Council to investigate the nature and extent of any harm or risk of harm to human health arising from asbestos in reserves or land areas managed by the council.

EPA advised that materials discovered at the reserve were bonded asbestos, which is considered low-risk for people in contact with it unless it is damaged or badly weathered.

However, under the conditions of the EPA notices, Hobsons Bay City Council must commission a hygienist to inspect all council managed parks and gardens that have received mulch in the past 18 months.

EPA will also review the council’s procedures regarding the sourcing of mulch, safety and quality checks, replacement and maintenance.

EPA has requested all reports dating back to July 2021, from council, its staff, contractors and the general public in regard to asbestos containing materials found in mulch at or around Hobsons Bay City Council infrastructure.

Hobsons Bay City Council must also provide EPA with a list of all suppliers used to source mulch by the council, its contractors and sub-contractors from the same time period.

Hobsons Bay City Council has until 22^nd April to comply with the notices.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the EPA had been proactive in its inspections and noted "I understand this is an incredibly important issue for the community to know that, whether it’s playgrounds, whether it’s the removal of asbestos from building sites, that it’s done in a safe and responsible manner.

"We need to allow the EPA to conclude those investigations and provide that information to the community and I have impressed on them, in a timely way."

The suspected illegal dumping of asbestos at seven Melbourne parks, follows on from a number of Sydney parks and reserves having been identified earlier this year as being contaminated with asbestos.

The Sydney contaminants were discovered when the NSW EPA discovered the mulch suppliers working with councils had received contaminated recycled mulch.

Bonded asbestos is generally made up of a small amount of asbestos fibres that are tightly bound in a product such as resin or cement. It is considered low risk for people who are in contact with it, unless it is damaged or badly weathered, resulting in asbestos fibres being released into the air.

EPA advises “If you find suspected asbestos, you should contact your local council environmental health officer or EPA. As a precaution, do not pick it up or handle it.”

EPA has stringent requirements on the waste and recycling industry to prevent harm to our environment and human health, including from asbestos contamination. EPA carries out regular inspections of sites, including to assess the effectiveness of risk controls to prevent contamination from occurring.

There are significant penalties for those who do not comply with Victoria’s environment protection laws.

EPA updates for various areas searched across Melbourne over the weekend include:

Kororoit Creek Trail, Altona North: No suspected asbestos
PA Burns Reserve dog park, Altona: Potential asbestos being tested, mulch spread on top of building waste
GJ Hosken Reserve, off-lead dog park, Altona North: Suspected asbestos being tested
Crofts Reserve, Altona North: Suspected asbestos being tested
Shore Reserve, Pascoe Vale South: Suspected asbestos being tested
Hosken Reserve, North Coburg: Asbestos found in historic buried material at active construction site
PJ Lynch Reserve, Altona North: Confirmed bonded asbestos, likely from illegal dumping
Donald McLean Reserve, Spotswood: Bonded asbestos found

EPA is today continuing its investigations into the source of mulch delivered to impacted parks.

EPA is also writing to all Victorian councils asking them to assess quality controls for landscaping works and supply contracts for garden mulch, and to demolition companies reminding them of their environmental compliance obligations in relation to asbestos management during demolition works.

About the author

Karen Sweaney

Co-founder and Editor, Australasian Leisure Management

Artist, geoscientist and specialist writer on the leisure industry, Karen Sweaney is Editor and co-founder of Australasian Leisure Management.

Based in Sydney, Australia, her specific areas of interest include the arts, entertainment, the environment, fitness, tourism and wellness.

She has degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and Geological Oceanography from UNSW.

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