Mackay Park near Batemans Bay on the south coast of New South Wales has been temporarily closed after asbestos was found on the park’s grounds. The public has been banned from the park, even forcing a weekend football game to be relocated. The Eurobodalla Shire Council has confirmed that action is being taken to ensure the safety of the community.
The Council has done some testing and inspections of the park grounds and no asbestos has been found on the playing fields themselves, rather nearby. The decision to close the park to the public is the right one to ensure the safety of everybody as even minimal exposure to asbestos can lead to an individual contracting the disease mesothelioma.
There have been asbestos compensation claims in Australia resulting from relatively small amounts of asbestos causing the condition mesothelioma. Asbestosis compensation claims in Australia usually result from more moderate exposures to asbestos.
Australia has one of the highest rates of deaths by asbestos related diseases in the world and the number of mesothelioma cases in Australia is expected to peak within the next decade. Thus in circumstances like this where asbestos is found in public spaces, immediate action is a good step to try and ensure future Australians being diagnosed with asbestos related conditions such as mesothelioma are minimized.
