The Environment Protection Authority has now abandoned today’s legal deadline for the clean-up of asbestos at the Rozelle Parklands and surrounding areas.
Instead of enforcing their 29 February deadline, the EPA has overnight granted Transport for NSW a month long extension for the remediation, until 28 March.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said the EPA should be issuing fines not granting extensions, to ensure the clean-up is completed.
“Transport for NSW and their contractors John Holland and CPB have simply not properly resourced this asbestos clean-up,” Byrne said.
“Granting this extension leaves the EPA looking like a toothless tiger.
“It’s been obvious for weeks that too few staff were being employed to clean up the contaminated mulch in time to meet the deadline and now this cost cutting is being rewarded.
“This is not a high school history assignment in which you ask for more time, this is a public safety threat that should have been cleaned up before now.
“A commuter who got fined trying to navigate traffic at the Rozelle Interchange wouldn’t get a waiver so why are Transport, John Holland and CPB being let off the hook?”
Last Friday, after being informed the clean-up was behind schedule, Inner West Council commenced its own legal proceedings against John Holland and CPB to force them to clean up the asbestos mulch.
Please find attached:
- The granting an extension for the Rozelle Parklands clean-up until 28 March.
- Council’s orders issued against and requiring the clean-up to be expedited.
