Sydney, Australia - shaken by asbestos

Briefly

Asbestos has been found in 41 places in Sydney, including parks and schools, leading to the closure of many.
The Department of the Environment in New South Wales, Australia, initiated this survey, which is the largest in decades.
Two new schools were recently closed after asbestos was discovered, and about 2,000 students will have to be taught at home while the areas are cleared.

The New South Wales State Environment Department in Australia has launched the largest investigation in decades and discovered asbestos in a number of public places in Sydney.

Since January, asbestos has been discovered in 41 locations in the city, according to the report 9News.

The finds are said to have been made in bark that was used in a number of public places, including around supermarkets and schools in several places in the city.

City: Sydney, Australia. Photo: Reuters/NTB
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– unacceptable

If asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can cause lung diseases such as asbestosis and lung cancer. Asbestos laws vary from country to country, but it was banned in Australia in 2003.

The first asbestos was discovered in a park in January. Authorities then closed the park and began testing other green areas nearby. Several places containing the contaminated bark were subsequently discovered, and it was decided to expand the search to include the entire city.

This is completely unacceptable, New South Wales Premier Chris Means said last week The New York Times.

Initially, all the positive results were for so-called restricted asbestos, which, according to health authorities, poses a low health risk. But later, brittle asbestos was found, which could be easily crushed into powder. This one is much more serious.

About a thousand kilometers west of Sydney lies the Darling River, which is full of dead fish. Dagbladet received permission from Graeme McCrabb to use the video he took. – Absolutely unbelievable, he says himself.
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Schools are closed

Over the weekend, asbestos was found in two new schools Watchman.

About 2,000 students at St Luke's Catholic College in Marsden Park will have to study at home over the next week until the area is disinfected.

NSW Education Minister Murat Dizdar says that's approx. 30 cubic meters of fertilizer were distributed over the entire school grounds.

It is widely spread throughout the school, and it was difficult to block and limit it, according to what the British newspaper says.

He describes it as a “huge shame” that asbestos entered the school grounds.

Does not affect Swift concerts

The scandal also received additional international attention because the tests were also held at Sydney Olympic Park, where Taylor Swift will be holding her concert in the big city.

However, the authorities can now reassure Swifties that no asbestos was found in that area.

“I can say with certainty that we are ready to welcome Taylor Swift with open arms,” Tony Chappell, head of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, said on Sunday, according to the New York Times.