Authorities are investigating claims residents of a small northwestern NSW town are being exposed to deadly asbestos fibres because of poor practices by the local council.
The Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia (ADFA) has accused Gwydir Shire Council of unsafe work practices and illegal dumping that are potentially putting at risk the residents of Warialda.
WorkCover NSW on Wednesday said it was conducting inquiries into the allegations.
“Under NSW work health and safety laws there are specific requirements on businesses for working safely with asbestos,” a WorkCover NSW Spokesperson said.
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will also look into the claims.
The EPA confirmed it received a report from Gwydir Shire Council on September 19 saying the council had inadvertently deposited about 10 cubic metres of soil with bonded asbestos pipe on council-owned lands at Warialda.
The report said the material was deposited in a non-residential area near a site used by the pony club near the Warialda showground but the area was safe to access, the EPA said.
Gwydir Shire Council, which looks after seven landfill sites, was contacted for comment by AAP, which was told a spokesman was in a meeting.
ADFA president Barry Robson says he visited Warialda this week after locals raised concerns about council workers cutting asbestos cement pipes in Hope Street without safety equipment or warnings to residents.
“There were the council workers there cutting up the water pipes which were asbestos, with angle grinders and no safety gear, just a pair of goggles,” Mr Robson told AAP.
He also said asbestos was being illegally dumped or “simply being tossed over the fence of local tips”.
Mr Robson said residents were also worried about where asbestos from the town’s old SES rural fire brigade building went when it was knocked down and rebuilt.
The EPA’s Director North, Gary Davey, said the authority was not aware of allegations made by ADFA that council workers may have been instructed to misclassify asbestos waste to minimise asbestos disposal costs.
“However, the EPA does take these allegations seriously and will investigate,” he said.
The United Services Union (USU), which represents local government workers, said an urgent investigation was needed to investigate the residents’ claims.
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