Asbestos contamination found in two more suburban Melbourne parks

A team of 100 people is working seven days a week to track the source of asbestos contamination in Melbourne parks after two more were confirmed to have the cancer-causing material.

Asbestos fragments have been found in at least 11 parks across four council areas since the start of April.

Asbestos material has been found in at least 11 parks across Melbourne.

The Environment Protection Authority said Hobsons Bay Council informed it on Wednesday that suspicious material found at Laverton Creek at the rear of AB Shaw Reserve in Altona Meadows and Doug Grant Reserve in Altona had tested positive.

Asbestos pieces were found in mulch at the Laverton Creek reserve and in soil at the Altona reserve, according to the EPA, which set up an Agency Command Team to respond to what it called “significant incidents”.

The EPA said the team – comprising environment protection officers, environmental and environmental public health scientists and specialist investigators – was set up on March 27, days before the first reports of asbestos contamination, to conduct “proactive checks”.

“The Agency Command Team established to respond to potential asbestos contamination in parks and reserves comprises environment protection officers, environmental public health scientists and specialist investigators,” the EPA said in a statement.

“The team has been operating seven days a week since the start of the incident, with more than 100 EPA staff working on roster to respond.”

Eight parks in Hobsons Bay had mulch contaminated with asbestos, with six more awaiting test results for suspicious material – Buffer Mound in Altona, Federation Trail in Brooklyn, Grieve Parade in Altona, Kororoit Creek Reserve in Altona North, Newport Lakes Reserve in Newport and Truganina Park in Altona Meadows.

On Monday, Casey Council in Melbourne’s south-east reported it had found asbestos in Minihans Reserve in Cranbourne.

“The source of contamination remains under investigation, but EPA believes it is not due to contamination in mulch,” the EPA’s incident update states in relation to Cranbourne.

“Investigations into sources of contamination continue. Small pieces of asbestos-containing material found so far in parks and reserves pose low risk. All asbestos found to date is bonded in cement and non-friable.

“Some parks are undergoing total remediation, with mulch being removed and replaced. Others have already been cleared to reopen.”

Two parks have been reopened after they were assessed as safe. Fitzgerald Square Reserve in Sunshine West had one piece of asbestos material found in mulch, but it has since been cleared by an expert.

Shore Reserve in Pascoe Vale South had three small pieces of material found on top of mulch, which is likely to have been from nearby construction work and not part of the mulch.

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