NSW Premier Chris Minns says there could potentially be hundreds of asbestos contamination sites throughout Sydney.
Mr Minns said the government doesn't have the resources to preventatively tape off all potential contamination sites throughout the city while testing is underway.
"The number of properties would be very large right across Sydney," Mr Minns said on Thursday.
"Not every projected park or contact tracing park has tested positive to asbestos but to lock every single park up or school or hospital would just be beyond our resources."
Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe this afternoon said 200 sites across Sydney had been tested by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), with 20 testing positive for asbestos
The contaminated locations include multiple parks, infrastructure project sites, various rail corridors, a school, and a hospital.
Initially, all positive detections were of non-friable or bonded asbestos, which NSW Health advises is low risk to people's health.
But on the weekend, friable asbestos — a type which is easily crushed into a powder by hand — was discovered in mulch used at an off-leash dog area Harmony Park in Surry Hills.
Ms Sharpe confirmed the NSW government had set up a taskforce to give more resources and support to the EPA's investigation into asbestos in mulch.
"This is the largest investigation the Environment Protection Authority has undertaken in recent decades," she said.
"The complex, criminal investigation involves multiple lines of enquiry.
"We should not be having asbestos in any of these products. It is illegal to do so."
The government said its number one priority was "contact tracing" down the complex supply chain, and then facilitating testing, reporting and management of any positive results.
Mulch recall an option
All the contaminated mulch found so far originated with the same supplier, Greenlife Resource Recovery Facility (GRRF).
EPA CEO Tony Chappel said recalling the mulch was "an option we are still exploring" and that he had asked GRRF to voluntarily recall the mulch.
The taskforce will help co-ordinate government agencies and assist in prioritising sites considered of highest risk to the public, to ensure all resources are available to secure and remediate sites.
Mr Chappel said this was a "major investigation" and the EPA was looking for a "rigorous conclusion as quickly as possible".
Mr Chappel said 130 people were involved in the investigation with more to be added this week.
On Wednesday, Liverpool West Public School was shut down for two weeks after "much more mulch" potentially contaminated with asbestos was discovered.
Organisers of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras announced the festival's Fair Day event this Sunday would be cancelled due to asbestos concerns.
The event was set to take place in Victoria Park in Camperdown, where mulch containing bonded asbestos was discovered on Monday.
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2024-02-15 03:50:34Z
CBMibWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDI0LTAyLTE1L2FzYmVzdG9zLWh1bmRyZWRzLW9mLXNpdGVzLWluLXN5ZG5leS1uc3ctcHJlbWllci1jaHJpcy1taW5ucy8xMDM0NzE1OTjSAShodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTAzNDcxNTk4
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