SYDNEY – Seven more public sites in Sydney, including a school, sports hub, and supermarket, have been discovered to be tainted with asbestos as the crisis continues to expand. The contamination of the toxic material has prompted authorities to intensify efforts in removing it from public spaces, with traces found in mulch across 41 locations in Australia’s most populous city.
In response to the widening asbestos exposure, the New South Wales government has established an asbestos task force to bolster resources and support for the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), marking one of the agency’s largest investigations in decades. Various areas in parks, including some popular tourist spots, have been cordoned off, while two schools have been closed due to contamination. Other affected sites have been blocked from public access as a precautionary measure.
As of Sunday, nearly 700 tests have returned negative results, while outcomes from three schools are still pending. Despite this, preparations for a Taylor Swift concert scheduled over the weekend in the city’s west are moving forward following successful venue testing. However, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day event slated for February 18 has been canceled.
The type of asbestos discovered thus far, except for one location, is bonded asbestos, considered low risk unless disturbed. Health officials are conducting preventive testing to ensure the safety of the public. Originally popular for its reinforcement qualities in cement and fireproofing capabilities, the inhalation of asbestos fibres has later been linked to lung inflammation and cancer, resulting in its ban across much of the world.
(Text by AI, edited by human)
