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2TM Regional News

Planning underway for asbestos removal at BMX track


Tamworth BMX Club and Tamworth Regional Council are working together to find the best options for cleaning up the track after asbestos was recently found there.


Testing was conducted on-site by a specialist contractor last week to determine the extent to the contamination.


The contamination was the result of soil fill being brought to the site more than 30 years ago which included building waste (bricks, ceramic pipes, tiles, concrete) and broken fibre cement sheeting containing asbestos.


TRC manager of sport and recreation Paul Kelly said the test results showed there was low-level non-friable asbestos contamination throughout the site.


“The site was divided into a grid of 11 areas for testing and non-friable asbestos was found on either the soil surface or subsurface in seven of 11 grid areas,” he said.


“The report states that despite the presence of asbestos-containing material, the concentration of asbestos was below the ‘Soil investigation criteria for Parks, Public Open Spaces, Playing fields’, which means the levels are below the trigger point that requires any further more detailed investigation.


“Council has been provided with a couple of options for remediation that we will be working with both the BMX Club and Councillors to determine a course of action in the coming weeks."


Mr Kelly said these works could include removal and disposing of contaminated soil or the capping of the existing site with clean fill and then sealing. However, the site will remain closed until these remediation works have been undertaken.


It is expected within the next week specialist contractors and council’s technical staff will have some realistic timeframes and preliminary costs.


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