Asbestos News

Residents of an Australian community are calling for the construction of public housing units to be stopped after asbestos was found at the site.

The Tingira Heights Community Action Group wants an investigation into the safety of the chosen site and all hazards removed before the project resumes, according to The Herald. Australia's Department of Housing has confirmed that asbestos was found in the area.

"WorkCover was advised and the area was cordoned off," a spokesman for the Department of Housing told the news source. "A specialist hygienist has been engaged to examine the site and determine a safe work method for removal."

The discovery of asbestos has caused residents to question whether the site for the 14 public housing units was correctly chosen.

Christine Whetham, a spokeswoman for the community group, said that the site was in a gully and would need expensive retaining walls. The site would be unnecessarily expensive to develop and there is better, cheaper land available, she told the news source.

Asbestos exposure has become a serious concern in Australia as many communities throughout the nation have been dealing with the effects of the deadly mineral, which was used for years in the construction industry because of its resistance to heat. However, in recent decades it has been discovered that asbestos exposure can cause malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.