Updated 18 March with EPA comment:
The Sunbury Resource Recovery Centre remained open while Hume City Council staff cleared the site of asbestos dumped by a tradie on Friday 1 March. Council confirmed the incident following repeated enquiries by Sunbury Life.
Council states site staff did not recommend the centre be closed to the public during the clean up. A witness saw tip staff wearing full body suits using hoses to spray water on asbestos.
The dumped asbestos was a “lower-risk, non friable type” according to a council spokesperson. Worksafe Victoria states non-friable asbestos may become friable. Friable asbestos can contain up to 100% asbestos.
The council also states it was given a clearance certificate for the Riddell Rd site by the Environment Protection Authority – but did not provide any further details.
A spokesperson for the EPA said: “EPA doesn’t issue clearance certificates, but an hygienist might.
“I can’t find any record of an asbestos dump being reported to us at the site in question. Potentially someone has confused EPA with WorkSafe who might also be involved given it’s about asbestos in a work place.”
The council’s media team of former journalists declined to answer any of our follow-up questions. We have laid a complaint with the council’s CEO.
The incident took place in the same week Cllr Jack Medcraft called for fly tippers to be named and shamed on social media.
