BY LAURA RUMBEL
Questions are being raised as to why asbestos has not been cleaned up at Glendale Technology High School, 14 months after being discovered.
On February 28 2020, in-ground asbestos material was discovered in the school's basketball courts and retaining walls.
The area was immediately restricted and secured from students and staff.
The School's P&C and Department of Education Asset Management Unit have reportedly both raised concerns about the
ongoing degradation of the asbestos.
State Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery says the closure of the school's basketball courts has notably reduced the available outdoor sport and recreation areas for more than 850 students.
"I just wonder why given this is such a huge safety issue and a promise by the Education Minister that this would be fixed by the end of last year that we're still waiting after 14 months for the removal of dangerous asbestos at a local high school," Ms Hornery said.
In a statement the Department of Education said wellbeing and safety is of the highest priority and the management of asbestos is always taken seriously.
"When the asbestos was found, the Department took immediate action to protect public health, including isolating the area, making it safe and implementing air monitoring."
"In line with an independent hygienist’s recommendations, all exposed ACM fragments at the site were removed. The area has remained enclosed with fencing and access restricted, and will remain so until the area is remediated."
"An engineer was engaged to determine a method of encapsulation and the independent hygienist has provided a report to support the remediation strategy of encapsulating the walls with a method called shotcrete."
"Until the encapsulation works are undertaken the two basketball courts remain inaccessible."
