Photos That Ignited a Crisis in Sydney - Asbestos Removal Network

Sydney’s Asbestos Crisis Unveiled: Secret Documents and Public Concerns

Sydney’s asbestos crisis has been exposed through nearly 400 pages of confidential government documents and previously unseen photos of tiny asbestos fragments discovered by the public. One of the initial pieces was found near a bus stop on Callan St in Rozelle, as revealed by 7NEWS.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: 7NEWS investigation uncovers documents revealing the extent and cost of Sydney’s asbestos contamination crisis.

The discovery led to a frantic search by authorities. Within days, the list of potentially contaminated sites expanded to include parks, schools, hospitals, and residential areas. An investigation revealed hundreds of government risk reports showing more asbestos shards in mulch garden beds.

Some images in the documents suggest that asbestos sheets may have been processed through a machine. Peter Tighe, chair of the Asbestos Diseases Research Foundation, explained, “It’s quite easy for someone who’s not fully aware of fibro asbestos sheeting products to put them into the machine. It would have come in a bonded state. But once it’s been through the shredder, it could change dramatically.”

Several sites across Sydney remain cordoned off months after the initial discovery, although many have since reopened, according to the NSW EPA. “Those circumstances, in terms of how the material ended up in the mulch, is very much a focus for our ongoing investigation,” said Adam Gilligan, NSW EPA director of operations. “A significant proportion of those 79 sites that we’ve identified have been cleaned up.”

Concerns about the substantial cost to taxpayers were also raised in the government documents. An email from the director of public works quoted a figure of $100 million. At Rozelle Parklands alone, taxpayers have already spent nearly $270,000 on a four-month contract with a testing company.

For more updates on this developing story, download the 7NEWS app today.

!Asbestos fragments found in mulch
Credit: 7NEWS

!Taped-off area suspected of asbestos contamination
Credit: 7NEWS