Single photo shows the absurdity of Sydney’s asbestos mulch crisis
Sydney’s asbestos crisis has reached absurd new levels according to a resident who shared a photo of almost a dozen trees and garden beds cordoned off on a city street amid fears they may have been contaminated with the dangerous substance.
The photo taken by a pedestrian on Abercrombie Street in Chippendale, near the city’s CBD, on Tuesday showed trees cordoned off with red and white tape.
A ‘possible asbestos’ sign was stuck to the tape of each individual tree.
The measure was taken after authorities were alerted that asbestos may have been found in the mulch under the trees.
Nearly a dozen trees on Abercrombie Street in Chippendale (pictured) were taped off on Wednesday over concerns there could be asbestos in the mulch beneath them
The pedestrian who took the photo said it was a “complete farce” to expect trees to be taped off to protect passers-by from exposure to dangerous asbestos.
‘How are these ropes supposed to protect people from toxic mulch?’ they said.
“The entire street had every single tree fenced off.”
The street is a busy area used by hundreds of pedestrians and is not far from Sydney Central Station.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the City of Sydney Council for comment.
NSW Premier Chris Minns had previously warned that more than 100 sites in Sydney may contain the hazardous material.
The asbestos-infested mulch has been detected in more than 40 locations in NSW, including schools, parks and hospitals since the material was first discovered on January 10 at the new Rozelle Parklands playground in Sydney’s west.
One pedestrian criticized the measure to tape off the trees, saying it would do little to protect those using the footpath (pictured, taped off areas on a footpath in Sydney)
The asbestos-ridden mulch has been found in more than 40 locations including schools, parks (pictured, Victoria Park) and hospitals in NSW
The issue has also affected a dozen schools in the city, with St Luke’s Catholic College in Marsden Park recently temporarily closing its doors after 30 cubic meters of mulch on the school grounds tested positive for asbestos.
Just days earlier, Liverpool Public School was closed after asbestos was discovered on campus, with hundreds of students transferred to another school nearby while the mulch was removed.
Last week, a local resident uploaded a creepy photo showing several workers in hazmat suits inspecting asbestos-contaminated mulch at the park in Rozelle.
The NSW Government has alleged that the GreenLife Resource Recovery Facility was the source of the asbestos crisis.
The company’s Bringelly site, in Sydney’s south-west, had four cleanup notices issued by the EPA following multiple incidents of asbestos contamination before it took ownership of the site.
Greenlife managing director Domenic Vitocco insists his company is not to blame, telling Daily Mail Australia last week it has been “scapegoated” by the state government.