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Asbestos SIG Wrap Up

What has been the highlight of your Branch/SIG this year? 

The Asbestos SIG has been busy this year with the issue of the OCSE Report on the Management of Asbestos in Recovered Fines and Recovered Materials for Beneficial Reuse in NSW. While this report was issued for NSW, other states are looking into the outcomes of this report to make decisions on asbestos management. Therefore, we consider that getting on the forefront of the engagement with regulatory bodies (EPA, OCSE) is crucial in providing the industry’s voice on the implementation of this report.

Our initiatives this year have included:

  • Providing response to OCSE paper and nominating a representative from our SIG to OCSE for future discussions.
  • Establishing a forum for engagement with NSW EPA and NATA to discuss regulatory decisions on the OCSE report and the publication of AS5370 Sampling and qualitative identification of asbestos in bulk materials (ISO 22262-1:2012, MOD).
  • Establishing meeting with other industry groups (ALGA, ACLCA, AHCA, AIOH, FAMANZ) to produce a Joint Report (Joint Report (Industry Response to the New South Wales (NSW) Environment Protection Authority (EPA) on the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer (OCSE) Management of asbestos in recovered fines and recovered materials for beneficial reuse in NSW – Final Report, December 2024)).
  • Establishing relationships with other SIGs (Auditors SIG and Local Government SIG) and extending meeting invites to the Auditors SIG.

What are you most excited about in the new financial year (1 July  2025 – 30 June 2026) 

We are in the process of preparation of several asbestos training materials:

  • A Technical Note for gravimetric assessment vs laboratory analysis. This Technical Note is aimed to assist consultants on the interpretation of WA DoH asbestos analysis. This Technical Note will be provided for review to the industry bodies.
  • Asbestos Training. Feedback from various industry bodies indicates the need for specific training in asbestos sampling. The proposed training will be aimed at occupational hygienists and contaminated land professionals.

Our SIG will provide contribution to EcoForum 2025, and is looking into establishing the Asbestos Training within the EcoForum.

We are also looking forward to continuing our engagement with NSW EPA, with regular meetings already scheduled. We look forward to also expanding the engagement to regulatory bodies from other states and territories.

Dr Cheryl Halim (Geosyntec Consultants Pty Ltd)
Ian Gregson (GHD)

Disclaimer

The views and information in this publication are those of the author and not the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association Ltd (ALGA), which acts solely as publisher. This publication does not constitute legal advice, and no warranty is given as to its accuracy or completeness. To the extent permitted by law, ALGA and the author accept no liability. Readers should seek independent professional advice if required.