Asbestos found in school playground

BREAKING: ASBESTOS has been found in the infants playground at Mount Carmel School in Yass.

Principal Gaye McManus told parents this afternoon that three fragments containing the potentially lethal fibres had been removed by authorities.

The cement sheeting fragments were found near the playground equipment and upper grassed area of the infants section of the playground.

Authorities have assessed them and said they contain “low-grade” non-friable (bonded) asbestos and that there was no remaining element of risk.

After a thorough investigation of the area, approval has been given to allow students to return to the area to play, Mrs McManus said.

Assessors Robson Environmental ACT have not ruled out the material was dumped there.

Manager Ged Keane, who has been assessing Canberra homes plagued by the Mr Fluffy scandal, told Scoop, “believe me, if there was an element of risk, we’d have been all over it like a rash!”

He said on a scale of one to 10, the most dangerous asbestos would be the “Mr Fluffy” friable fibres, cement sheeting fell somewhere in the middle, and materials like vinyl floor tiles were the least risky.

“When our guy went there [to Mt Carmel] this morning, he couldn’t find any more [than what was handed in].

“And you usually would find more, so we’re not ruling out that somebody put it there.”

“Normally when you go to a contaminated area, it’s not just an isolated one or two pieces, which is what this case seems to be.”

He deemed this incident a “low-risk scenario”.

“If it was friable, it would be a different matter.”

Mrs McManus said WorkCover NSW had been advised.

“Mount Carmel School and Catholic Education have taken every precaution to ensure the highest standards of safety for our children,” she told parents.

“Catholic Education will conduct its own thorough investigation of the playground to ascertain where the asbestos may have come from.”

Parents are asked to contact her at the school if they were concerned.

Scoop was unable to obtain comment from the Catholic Education Office director this afternoon.

When materials containing asbestos are disturbed, it can release dangerous fine particles of dust which, when inhaled, can cause illnesses such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.