Asbestos has been discovered in a New South Wales plant after banned goods were imported to Australia from overseas.
The Riverina Oils and Bio Energy Pty Ltd (ROBE) oil seed plant, which is located in the NSW suburb of Bomen, Wagga Wagga, rushed to set up to 15 exclusion zones after the asbestos was discovered in gaskets that had been imported to Australia from India.
The asbestos discovery prompted immediate investigations of the company responsible for the importation.
The investigations are being conducted by both WorkCover NSW and Customs and Border Protection.
WorkCover NSW has directed ROBE to identify all asbestos on site, create an asbestos register and develop an asbestos management plan, despite the project manager’s claims that all the business’ suppliers had signed declarations stating that they would not bring asbestos to the site.
A licensed asbestos removalist has been retained to safely remove the gaskets from the NSW site.
Asbestos must be removed only by licensed professionals as exposure can cause asbestos related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma compensation claims are common in most Australian states as a result of asbestos exposure, especially NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. These states have specific asbestos compensation legislation to assist those seeking to claim mesothelioma compensation and asbestosis compensation.
