The actions of one person have caused Endeavour Industries to be shut down for five days.
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Recycling collectors discovered several asbestos tiles dumped in a yellow bin during collections on Wednesday.
The action has left Endeavour Industries chairman Geoff Kettle seething that workers have been exposed to the danger.
“It is extremely disappointing that someone would put any contamination in their recycling bin let alone asbestos,” he said.
“This has the potential to have a negative impact on some of the community’s most vulnerable people being the assisted employees at Endeavour Industries.
“It has led to Endeavour Industries staff being sent home and a process of testing and cleaning up both the site and the Council truck that undertook the collections.”
Mr Kettle said the asbestos appeared to be from an asbestos tile used in a bathroom or laundry.
The recycler will be closed until Monday, June 18 and all waste collected from Wednesday to Friday will be disposed of in general landfill.
One of the council’s waste collection vehicles will be out of action until asbestos testing provides a clearance. The council will empty both red and yellow bins in the same trucks this week.
The council has arranged a professional hygienist to attend the site and undertake testing and air sampling to ensure the area is safe. Once test results are known, the asbestos will be removed by licensed professionals.
“It is disappointing that three days of recycling will be disposed of in landfill because of the illegal actions of one person,” Mayor Bob Kirk said.
“This incident highlights the issues created by contamination and it is important that the community uses their yellow and red bins for the appropriate waste only.”
SafeWork NSW have been notified and will be kept informed throughout the testing and clean-up process.
Several months ago, asbestos was also discovered in green waste delivered to the landfill which caused an entire row of composted material to be discarded.
At that time, Cr Kirk also expressed his frustration at the contamination and the fallout.