The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) notified Council on Monday 22 April that a small amount of debris located adjacent to the Seabrook Reserve car park had tested positive as asbestos.
The small amount of material was in garden bed mulch near the Seabrook Reserve car park.
Council immediately directed qualified contractors, who had already been engaged by Council prior to the finding, to attend Seabrook Reserve ( Monday 22 April) to begin a thorough investigation of the site.
Multiple samples were collected from across Seabrook Reserve by the contractor to take for further testing. The results of these samples will be known within the next 24 hours and any further steps that are required will be made after these results.
Council has paused the use of recycled mulch prior to the announcement as a precautionary measure.
The qualified contractor has begun mulch testing at Hume’s playgrounds and adjacent garden beds out of an abundance of caution, along with any site where recycled mulch has been used.
We are working closely with the EPA as they conduct further assessments and investigations.