Sydney’s asbestos crisis has reached absurd new levels, according to a resident who shared a photo of nearly a dozen trees and flowerbeds cordoned off on a city street over fears they have been contaminated with the dangerous substance.
The photo taken by a pedestrian on Abercrombie Street in Chippendale, near the CBD, showed the trees separated with red and white tape on Wednesday morning.
A “possible asbestos” notice had been taped to each tree.
The action was taken after authorities were alerted that asbestos may have been detected in the mulch under the trees.
Nearly a dozen trees on Abercrombie Street in Chippendale (pictured) were taped shut on Wednesday over fears the mulch underneath could contain asbestos.
The pedestrian who took the photograph harshly criticized the attempt to alert those walking along the path about the possible presence of asbestos, expressing disbelief at the idea that covering trees with duct tape would protect people from exposure to the substance.
“It’s a complete farce,” they said.
‘How are these ropes supposed to protect people from the poisonous mulch?’
“The whole street had every tree fenced.”
The street is a busy area with hundreds of pedestrians and is adjacent to Sydney Central Train Station.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Sydney City Council for comment.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns had previously warned that more than a hundred sites in Sydney could contain hazardous material.
Asbestos-ridden mulch has been detected at more than 40 sites including schools, parks and hospitals across New South Wales. since the material was first detected on January 10 at the new Rozelle Parklands playground in Sydney’s inner west.
A pedestrian criticized the move to tape off trees saying it would do little to protect those using the footpath (pictured, cordoned off areas on a Sydney footpath)
Asbestos-ridden mulch has been detected at more than 40 sites including schools, parks (pictured Victoria Park) and hospitals across New South Wales.
The issue has also affected a dozen schools across the city, with St Luke’s Catholic College in Marsden Park the latest to close its doors until the issue is resolved after 30 cubic meters of mulch at the school tested positive for asbestos.
Just days earlier, Liverpool Public School was closed after asbestos was discovered on campus, and hundreds of students were moved to another nearby school while mulch was removed.
Last week, a local uploaded a grisly photo showing several workers in protective suits inspecting asbestos-contaminated mulch in Rozelle Park.
The New South Wales government alleges the GreenLife Resource Recovery Fund is the source of the asbestos crisis.
The company’s Bringelly site, in Sydney’s southwest, received four cleanup notices issued by the EPA after multiple incidents of asbestos contamination before it owned the site.
Greenlife CEO Domenic Vitocco insists his company is not to blame, telling Daily Mail Australia last week that it has been “scapegoated” by the state government.