Testing has confirmed the sample taken from Dendy Park, Brighton yesterday, 22 April was asbestos-containing material.  The sample is a small piece of bonded material and poses a negligible risk to park users.  EPA has determined that the piece of asbestos containing material was not part of the mulch delivered to the site.

Hobsons Bay City Council has completed remediation works at the following parks and reserves, which have reopened for community use today:

• PA Burns Reserve, Altona
• Newport Lakes Reserve, Newport
• Truganina Park, Altona Meadows
• Laverton Creek (rear of AB Shaw Reserve), Altona Meadows)
• Doug Grant Reserve, Altona

Given the progress of EPA’s investigations and a significant decrease in the number of reports being received, EPA’s response to reports of suspected asbestos-containing material will be led by its regional environment protection teams.

EPA’s Agency Command Team that was set up at the start of the incident has led its investigations into asbestos contamination.  EPA has conducted 101 inspections of parks, reserves and mulch producers, while councils have separately conducted their own inspections and reported findings to EPA. 

Less than a shopping bag of potential asbestos containing material was collected for testing, and asbestos contamination has been confirmed in 19 parks and reserves, 14 of which are in Hobsons Bay City Council area.   

EPA believes that the small amounts of asbestos-containing material found are a mostly a result of dumping or legacy contamination at the sites.

Councils will provide updates on the remediation and reopening of parks and reserves.

EPA will continue to respond to reports in any parks and reserves and require the land manager to take appropriate action to prevent harm to the community, including public communications and remediation of the site.

Further information about asbestos contamination in parks and reserves can be found on EPA’s website:

www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/incidents/response-to-potential-asbestos