The residents of Melbourne particularly the parents are turning into concern after asbestos was discovered in the second playground in Melbourne; this forced the local authorities to act immediately leaving question marks over the safety of these playgrounds. That latest find is made only weeks after one comparable discovery that resulted in the shutting down of another widely used children’s playground.
The incident occurred in one of the suburban areas that contained a playground which was closed after maintenance personnel found suspicious objects. Further examination also proved that there were asbestos, which is a dangerous material that has been reputed to lead to serious health complications such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The local government quickly responded to the situation and put into practice the emergency measures, as well as started an inquiry. In the surrounding environment of the playground their own employees have created an exclusion zone and have installed air purification stations to protect the residents of nearby houses.
When parents and community members got this information, they were bathed in suprise and rage. Most are demanding that an extensive study is conducted all across the city to allow the evacuation of all the public playgrounds and recreation grounds that may have asbestos.
The authorities, both local and national, have been swift to calm the public by explaining that the risk of being exposed to the virus due to the latest find is probably minimal. But they are encouraging anyone who has been to the playground in the last few weeks to seek medical advice if they have any symptoms.
It has justly revived discourses about Australia’s cyclical contamination problem with the infamous material, asbestos. Since 2003, asbestos has been banned across the country for it use; however, the material still exists in numerous old constructions. Asbestos has been found in a fairly recent playground: this has created great concerns about Asbestos removal programs and the possibility of contamination in newer areas.
Many of the environmentalists are using this incident to call for more frequent and through testing for these social spots. They pointed out that many current inspection procedures which are in use may not effectively identify asbestos that may have degraded or areas which may have been previously inspected where the asbestos have since been disturbed.
The local council has also said that they shall soon be convening an emergency sitting in order to address the issue and come up with the necessary measures to be taken. Discussed issues are short-term measures, which consist in the immediate fixing and replacement of the condemned playground as well as evaluation and probable changes in the regular methods of maintenance and procedures of inspections; Concerns is medium and long-term goals which are Startegy for eradicating possible asbestos hazards in the entire city.
Various communities are coming up with formations as a result of the new development, several organizations have demanded that authorities come clean on the possible presence of such substances in areas frequented by the public. Certain activist groups are campaigning for the establishment of an on-line resource using which residents can verify the asbestos risks associated with parks, schools, other community facilities.
Another effect of the discovery is now being seen economically. In the vicinity of a particular playground people can observe that numbers of families are avoiding the area which has negatively impacted the local businesses. Some people believe it may affect Melbournes image as a family friendly city if it is not resolved sooner rather than later.
So whilst the link between prolonged exposure to asbestos and a range of cancers, as well as mesothelioma, is already established, attention has now shifted to identify the origin of the asbestos contamination. Early investigations indicate that the material could have been installed during a refurbing job with new contractors or brought in during a renovation and asks questions concerning the suitability of contractors and the compliance of safety rules in construction business.
It also raised a question of urban redevelopment and problems of sustaining elderly structures throughout the large city area. As seen from the example of the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne experiencing on going development, there are indications that there is need for tighter environmental screens before any of the redevelopers proceed with their plans.
This latest asbestos scare in the city brings to focus the history of Australia’s extensive use of the substance in the past. This highlights the importance of ongoing detection and prevention for future generations on the risks that are posed to people by these hazards in public domains.
In the following weeks the population may pay even more attention to the compliance with the Melbourne public health and safety measures and the further discussions on the usage of the fund for maintenance of the infrastructure and abatement of the hazardous materials removal. For now all people can only wait and pray that authorities will act quickly and decisively in order to avoid any new casualties and return trust in safety of communal areas.
