Illegal Dumping in Bruce – Asbestos Cover-Up?

I will be interested to see how this is handled now that it has been made public there are concerns about asbestos in the site.

It is beyond belief that nothing has been done to warn of the potential danger in “Family Friendly” bruce. I will keep you guys posted on the situation as I live near by. I predict fences and all kinds of work commencing there in the next day or so, who ever is responsible will be looking to over compensate as they get a kick up the a**.
I am actually surprised that the site has not been turned into a BMX track, as local kids normally seek out any mound of dirt within a 50km radius for Knee scrapping excitement, don’t tell me Canberra youth are paying attention to keep out signs?

anyway done with my rant.

It’s no good making people pay to dump at legitimate sites – if you don’t then police illegal dumping.

Can anyone remember a report of someone being caught illegal dumping? Anyone ever heard of anybody being fined?

At least the Crimes don’t appear to have stolen your photos, PM.

Or not yet . . . 😉

It is unclear how Our Beloved Leader is going to explain how the discovery of asbestos has resulted in the unsecured site and three month delay. Nor am I sure how he can claim it isn’t a risk to community when the treatment of the asbestos so patently does not comply with his Asbestos Awareness Site

I’ll bet there will be chainwire panels up in the next 24 hours.

At least the fence will keep airborne asbestos fibres contained.

Good to see someone gives a fcuk

I see it as a combination of PM’s headline and Sn00pi’s comment.

Nice of them to give credit where credit is due 🙂

They even stole PM’s Headline!

HAHAHAHA – http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/illegal-dump-at-bruce-remains-an-eyesore/1357470.aspx

People who dump are scum – this is nothing less than environmental vandalism which could be harmful to local residents. I am astounded that the government won’t act quickly on issues like this.

Well, I’ll be interested in whether the Crimes run with this one…

whoopsie…Appropriately.

If it’s asbestos, perhaps someone should ask our Canberras’ new friend Mr Pangallo where it came from and/or how to dispose of it appropriatly 😉

Does anyone know the contents of a similar looking unofficial dump in Mitchell near Flemington Rd (sorta behind Totalcare)? From the road it just looks like piles of dirt and bits of broken concrete (as does the above pic) but it concerns me that this might be a dumping ground for some sort of hazardous waste too.

That really sucks Al – and I hope that they get a fairer deal when the dump closes (hopefully) in 2010.

tylersmayhem said :

Why should we have to live near a rubbish dump in suburban Canberra?

I’m sure the residents of Harrison would be best placed to answer this.

Tylers: perhaps something that we’ll need to chase down that. I was told by an LDA staff member (with me as a private citizen) that the Mitchell waste transfer station’s lease was to expire in 2010, and would not be renewed. I would hope so. I don’t live down that end of Harrison, but on occasions with a southerly I have been down there, the smell’s been pretty bad. But people were manipulated into buying the blocks there because there just wasn’t anything else available, due to the ALP/LDA land supply drip feed.

Thanks Bruceman – didn’t see that article. Still, doesn’t explain the “work site” sign…

It’s an environmental issue. Will the Greens step up?

Those that either moved there before the dump, or were forcibly relocated there, sure.

Why should we have to live near a rubbish dump in suburban Canberra?

I’m sure the residents of Harrison would be best placed to answer this.

We have been trying to have this cleaned up for nearly 18 months, but nothing is ever done. The only time we got a verbal reply from the ACT governement was when an article on the dump appeared in the Canberra Times on 28/8. They are supposed to be going to tender to have the rubbish removed or that is their latest story.

Why should we have to live near a rubbish dump in suburban Canberra?

For what it’s worth, the Chief Minister lives in this suburb. It is a great statement about his administration when he has an illegal rubbish dump in his own suburb!

Comments are on the money. I just want to know that, if the asbestos rumour is true, the site is being treated professionally. Doesn’t look like it to me.

As we always used to tell the customers – just don’t lick it.

Of course, lots of it is protected by several layers lead based paint.

🙂 thats ok then.

There is a lot of the asbestos containing interior cladding for wet areas and also (allegedly) quite a lot in the cladding under eaves in Canberra houses of a certain age. Of course, lots of it is protected by several layers lead based paint.

This is pretty timely – there were a couple of uteloads of TAMS guys poking around there yesterday. They didn’t appear to be wearing much in the way of PPE though, just the hi-vis vests.

tylersmayhem said :

What is defined as “cladding”? Do you mean the stuff that was once used as sheeting in bathrooms etc, which has since been replaced by Gyprock? Kind of like fibro board?

“Cladding” = “Fibro” – the stuff on the outside walls of older “fibro houses” eg in old Ainslie.

Interior cladding in wet areas was usually a slightly different product, also containing asbestos.

Modern replacement is “cement sheet”, which is reinforced with cellulose fibre, not asbestos.

Gyprock is a different product: paper-faced plasterboard. Older Canberra houses would have sisal-reinforced plaster sheets. I don’t think asbestos was used for dry-area internal plaster in Canberra.

@ p1, no asbestos is 100% safe – just some are not as harmful – leaving asbestos sheets in harsh environmental conditions is what I would typefy asbeing treated in a way that can creat airborne particles. Asbestos, in any form should be treated with critical control points.

@tylers – Correct – Asbestos was also used in cement for a long time as well, and theres tons of it buried on site at Lawson, just up and across teh road from Bruce.

We had asbestos cladding in our bathroom laundry and kitchen in Lyneham, as splashbacks.

Its fine, so long as long as its in situ and not treated in a way that can create airborne particles, i.e. home handyman removal of said sheets, cutting, grinding, sanding etc.

Asbestos is pretty indiscriminate as well, I have heard old stories of guys who worked in asbestos mines who have never contracted asbestosis, but members of their family have because he has introduced airborne particles from his clothing into their living environment.

Even though some is safer than others, it should only be handled by qualified removal/disposal operators.

If you have to handle it yourself, your crazy, I would suggest at least a full face P3 asbestos rated mask and disposable overalls and booties. On Exit, You shoul dhave a full decontam bath to wet all exposed areas to ensure dust particles stay settled, and then throw the exposed overalls and booties into an asbestos rated disposal unit.

Of course I am quite happy to be corrected where applicable.

Cladding or not, it should never be exposed to the open atmosphere, it could quite easily weather and send up asbestos particled from adverse environmental conditions.

Correct. It’s fine in situ as long as it’s painted and uncracked. Do not put nails in it.

Theoretically you are required to have a properly licenced person to remove the sheeting style asbestos and they are required to remove and dispose of it in the approved manner.

I don’t think dumping it at unapproved sites is the approved manner.

The cladding is fine, so long as it is not treated in a way that can creat airborne particles.

While this is arguably true, smashing it up, and dumping it in a field, would probably qualify as treated in a way that can creat airborne particles.

The cladding is fine, so long as it is not treated in a way that can creat airborne particles.

What is defined as “cladding”? Do you mean the stuff that was once used as sheeting in bathrooms etc, which has since been replaced by Gyprock? Kind of like fibro board?

city.rangers@act.gov.au

The athletes! Won’t somebody think of the athletes. It’s already bad enough that their precious air quality has been so contaminated by the evils of suburban progress, now this!!!

I live just up the road from this eyesore, and the fact that it may have asbestos amongst it is concerning. How many kids in the area are treasure hunting in there? I know if I was a kid it would be a pretty attractive place to go, regardless of signs.

there are many grades of asbestos, Hopefully its more the cladding type, and less the fibre type.

The fibre type of asbestos is soo fine and light that if stirred in a still environment (Think abandoned factory) it can remain airborne for days.

Thats the stuff that gets in to your lungs and does damage.

The cladding is fine, so long as it is not treated in a way that can creat airborne particles.

In any case, there is no room in public spaces for ANY type of asbestos.

There’s strange piles of junk dotted all around that area, like slightly east of the big dump there’s dozens of small mounds of fill, and further east near the bike path and the AIS vehicle depot there’s more mounds of fill – but the rubbish piling up around them has been steadily growing over the years. I always assumed it was the AIS’s own little dumping ground.