Sydney asbestos crisis: Single image causing residents Covid pandemic flashbacks as city deals with dangerous mulch in parks

An alarming photo of workers in hazmat suits inspecting asbestos-contaminated mulch in a park has caused some Australians to have disturbing flashbacks to scenes from the Covid pandemic.

The photo uploaded to Reddit on Friday showed several workers wearing protective gear as they worked in the park at Rozelle in Sydney’s west after the A hazardous substance was found at dozens of locations in the city.

Five workers wearing hazmat suits walked the landscape in the new Rozelle Interchange park to detect the substance.

A worker in full orange protective gear was seen holding a large yellow pipe as he walked through the area, which is closed to the public during ongoing inspections.

“Literally dystopian,” one user captioned the image.

“Reminds me of the Covid cleaners in the early stages of the pandemic,” another person who viewed the image commented.

‘My thoughts, hence why it’s so creepy to see again!! But they are very grateful for the work they do,” wrote another.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say dystopian unless those responsible get away with little more than a slap on the wrist,” another commented.

Asbestos has been found in at least 22 locations after the contaminated material was first found at the Rozelle site in January.

The contaminated mulch has also been found in seven schools across the city, with all but one – St Luke’s Catholic College in Marsden Park – having closed their doors for the safety of students and staff.

The latest discovery at a Liverpool primary school has led to hundreds of pupils learning from home before being transferred to another public school nearby while the mulch was removed.

Contaminated mulch was also found in Victoria Park in Camperdown on Monday, with plans to hold a Mardi Gras Fair Day event canceled. The event was expected to attract 70,000 people to the park.

Workers in protective gear were seen inspecting the park (pictured) for the hazardous substance

Seven Sydney schools were closed after asbestos was found in mulch on campuses (pictured, St Luke’s Catholic College)

NSW Premier Chris Minns said hundreds of locations could be affected by asbestos-laden mulch.

The growing scope of the issue and demands on the EPA prompted an asbestos task force to be assembled Thursday with hazardous materials experts and government agencies.

Contact tracers trying to find potential locations containing the contaminated mulch have also increased their numbers in an effort to speed the process and reduce exposure to the public.

The workforce now amounts to over 130 people.

One problem authorities are facing is that the supplier connected to all 22 sites has distributed their recycled mulch product to 30 companies, some of whom passed it on further down the chain.

Victoria Park (pictured) at Camperdown is one of dozens of parks in Sydney contaminated with asbestos-laden mulch

Hundreds of students at Liverpool Public School (pictured) were forced to return to home learning after the school closed when the hazardous substance was found on school grounds

Greenlife Resource Recovery, the supplier associated with all 22 contaminated sites, denies the mulch was contaminated.

The company said Tuesday that tests showed the mulch stored at its facility was free of asbestos.

The EPA issued a prevention notice to the company after the watchdog found it supplied the mulch used at Rozelle.

Greenlife has been asked to voluntarily recall their product, but the company is contesting the prevention order.

The state government has remained steadfast in its statement that it has been working to deploy resources to identify contaminated mulch in public areas.

Environment Secretary Penny Sharpe denied the government had been too slow to respond.

“What we’ve realized from the beginning of that process all the way down the supply chain is that it’s bigger than we think,” she said.