Liverpool City Council under fire over warnings as Sydney asbestos investigation spreads
Liverpool MP Charishma Kaliyanda criticized the council for failing to adequately inform nearby residents about asbestos.
“When something alarming like asbestos is found, residents want reassurance,” he said. “My office has received a number of complaints from residents in the area surrounding Pye Hill Reserve who say they have received no correspondence, no information or details.”
The council said it had sent letters to residents informing them of asbestos but had overlooked a street adjacent to the reserve.
“The council apologizes for the oversight,” a spokesman said. “Following confirmation of asbestos, all asbestos-affected areas of the park were fenced and warning signs were posted…all users of the reserve were warned of the presence of asbestos.”
HiQ Cecil Park states on its website that it is licensed to accept asbestos waste. When contacted at this masthead, the company said its soil was regularly mixed with other contractors’ materials.
“HiQ regularly supplies reclaimed materials to infrastructure contractors, including contractors working on the Pye Hill Reserve project,” a HiQ spokesperson said.
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“The material used at Pye Hill Reserve generally consists of materials from a variety of sources. HiQ was one of the sources of this material. The materials HiQ supplies to contractors are often mixed with other materials by additional contractors before being made available to their customers. HiQ has no visibility into this process.”
HiQ said when asbestos was discovered it worked with the city to “contain and safely dispose” of the material.
“We are now seeking to provide EPA NSW with whatever information we can. In doing so, no such material leaves the site.”
The council said it only received land from HiQ and was not mixed with other sources.
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“HiQ was the sole supplier of topsoil for the Pye Hill Reserve footpath areas and Rickard Road footpath construction and was found to be contaminated despite being supplied to the council as certified to be contaminant-free and safe for use.”
The EPA said the council notified it of asbestos at Pye Hill Reserve on September 5. The council carried out tests on recycled topsoil stockpiled at HiQ Cecil Park. A sample tested positive for asbestos, prompting the agency to investigate where else in Sydney the material might have been used.
“NSW EPA is investigating both the incidents and the supplier of the materials,” a spokesman said.
The EPA said it had inspected the Pye Hill Reserve area several times since the soil was removed and this week confirmed the area was safe.
SafeWork NSW is investigating whether council workers installing the soil were exposed to asbestos at both sites.
“SafeWork NSW inspectors responded and are investigating measures taken by the council to ensure its employees are not exposed to asbestos when carrying out any work at Pye Hill Park,” a spokesman for the regulator said.
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