Asbestos has been found in the City of greater Bendigo in Victoria, Australia. The police, Environment Protection Authority and WorkSafe were all called down to Garsed Street where the asbestos was discovered. The council is urging all people to stay away from the area as trained asbestos removalists are in the process of clearing the toxic asbestos. Part of the street has been closed to traffic to ensure the public is not dangerously exposed to asbestos fibres. This is extremely important as even minimal exposure to asbestos can see these individuals contract an asbestos related disease such as asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma.
Prue Mansfield, the director of Planning and Development, has confirmed that the city thinks the asbestos has come from a building nearby and was disturbed by vandals. He is encouraging those responsible to come forward so they can go through the necessary health checks. The owner of the building is required to secure the property and has been contacted about this obligation.
The appropriate asbestos removal and management procedures are of crucial importance in these situations to ensure the public is not exposed to asbestos. This is extremely important as Australia has one of the highest rates of asbestos related diseases in the world and the number of people diagnosed with mesothelioma in Australia is expected to rise within the next decade.
