Dumping of construction and demolition waste is illegal and we encourage you to report any suspicious activities to us on 1300 372 842. For potential asbestos, press option 2 then option 6.

Summary

In early 2024, reports of asbestos contamination in mulch across greater Sydney caused us to inspect 59 mulch producers in Victoria. This was to determine if there was an issue in Victoria's mulch supply chain.

Soon after, a case of suspected asbestos contamination in a local park was reported to EPA. Working with local councils we conducted over 200 inspections of parks and reserves across the Melbourne. 

From these inspections, 22 public parks or reserves identified a small level of asbestos contamination. All of these have been cleared by the relevant local council or land manager.

There is no evidence that contamination in mulch products was the source of asbestos at any park or reserve. We believe the asbestos was from legacy contamination or from illegal dumping.

Status of all sites

All identified sites have been remediated and cleared by council. These include:

• Altona Coastal Park, Altona
• Cherry Lake Buffer Mound, Altona
• Grieve Parade, Altona
• Doug Grant Reserve, Altona
• PA Burns Reserve, Altona
• Laverton Creek (at the rear of AB Shaw Reserve), Altona Meadows
• Truganina Park, Altona Meadows
• GJ Hosken Reserve, Altona North
• Crofts Reserve, Altona North
• Kororoit Creek Reserve, Altona North
• PJ Lynch Reserve, Altona North
• Dendy Reserve, Brighton
• Seabrook Reserve, Broadmeadows
• Brooklyn Reserve Fenced Dog Park, Brooklyn
• Federation Trail, Brooklyn
• Clydevale Avenue Park Playground, Clyde North
• Minihans Reserve, Cranbourne 
• Point Ormond Reserve, Elwood
• Newport Lakes Reserve, Newport
• Shore Reserve, Pascoe Vale South
• Donald McLean Reserve, Spotswood
• Fitzgerald Square Reserve, Sunshine West

Supply chain investigations

We conducted precautionary inspections of 59 Victorian mulch producers.

No asbestos was found in mulch products during these inspections. Contamination prevention controls were found to be robust. EPA required 6 of the 59 sites to make improvements. Only one site has not made the improvements. EPA and WorkSafe Victoria are taking action through the courts for the final site.

We also:

• Requested every local council and public land manager assess their quality assurance processes. If in doubt councils and managers were advised to conduct inspections and report to EPA.
• Reminded 161 demolition companies of their obligations under the Environment Protection Act 2017. This included directions to ensure asbestos containing materials are only disposed of lawfully.

Type of asbestos found

EPA officers found only material containing bonded asbestos, not the more dangerous friable asbestos.

Bonded asbestos is generally made up of a small amount of asbestos fibres that are tightly bound in a product such as resin or cement. It's considered low risk for people who are in contact with it, unless damage or bad weathering lead to asbestos fibres being released into the air.

It's not unusual for people to find pieces of bonded asbestos in their homes or in the community. If you find suspected asbestos, you should contact your local council environmental health officer or us. As a precaution, do not pick it up or handle it. 

Historic dumping and legacy contamination

When determining if a case is likely to be waste introduced after the mulch had been laid, officers looked at the size and placement of the material.

When suspected asbestos pieces are larger in size than the standard size of the mulch, it is unlikely the asbestos has been through the mulching process.

If the asbestos is sitting on the surface, rather than mixed into the mulch, it is most probably a recent addition to the mulch.

Officers also look for other signs of contamination in the area, such as other building waste and debris and also looked at the historic use of the site and whether it was likely contamination was present when the mulch was laid.

A combination of these factors has led our officers to believe historic dumping and legacy contamination is the cause of the majority of the asbestos contamination found.  Investigation of contamination at Donald Maclean Reserve, Spotswood and Kororoit Creek Reserve, North Altona continues.

Regulatory controls

We place stringent requirements on the waste and recycling industry to prevent harm to our environment and human health, including from asbestos contamination. We carry out regular inspections of sites, including assessing the effectiveness of risk controls to prevent contamination from occurring.

Under Victoria’s environment laws that came into effect on 1 July 2021, mulch producers receiving waste timber for recycling are required to obtain a permission from us to operate and to comply with strict requirements to prevent harm to human health and the environment.

Non-compliance with these laws can attract fines of up to $4 million and 5 years in prison for serious offences.

This environmental legislation also applies to demolition contractors supplying timber to mulch producers for recycling. Under these laws, asbestos-contaminated material must not be recycled and can only be disposed of at a licensed landfill.

More information

For more information about:

• our role in managing asbestos visit, asbestos and EPA's role
• asbestos in the home, visit asbestos.vic.gov.au
• For information about a local park, contact your local council directly.