EPA has confirmed the presence of asbestos in samples from illegally dumped waste along the Gilmour Road rail reserve in Sunshine.
Smaller residual asbestos fibres have been confirmed in material taken from the eastern side of the rail corridor, a site directly behind the Westend Markets.
VicTrack is required to undertake clean-up of the illegally dumped waste. They have also committed to urgently fixing the issue and any needed ongoing management. EPA will be formalising this through a legal notice requiring that they survey the extent of contamination and make safe the existing exposed material, ensuring the batters are rabbit proof.
EPA is issuing notices on Fuchs Lubricants factory to provide EPA with information on their site works over the past two years.
Damaged fences along the rail corridor are being fixed and signs are today being put in place to warn people who choose to trespass along the railway that there is danger of contact with asbestos.
Air monitoring shows no evidence of airborne asbestos fibres. EPA and VicTrack will continue to monitor the air in order to give the community confidence in their environment.
Sampling by numbers:
- EPA undertook sampling in seven areas on Monday 13 October 2014.
- Sample sites included four locations on the western side of the railway line where there was some illegally dumped waste between the rail corridor and Gilmour Road.
- Three sites were sampled on the eastern side of the railway line, on the land behind Westend Market site.
- Environment Protection Officers took a total 11 samples.
Summary of lab results:
- All samples from the eastern side of the railway line showed asbestos fibres. This is the land directly behind the Westend Market site.
- On the western side of the tracks, one sample taken from illegally dumped waste was positive for asbestos, three other samples were free of asbestos.
Report illegal dumping on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).