The cleanup efforts across bushfire-affected communities in Western Australia have been hampered by asbestos contamination, with some property owners looking at costs of up to $250,000 to remove asbestos.
In February, several properties, some of them insured and some not, were destroyed in a fire and were reported as containing asbestos.
The Western Australia Department of Health has explained that when kept in sound condition and left undisturbed, the risk to public health is minimal. As highlighted at the recent fire at the Wickham wool stores, fire can disperse the material and result in environmental contamination, including during cleanup efforts where pieces are moved or disturbed.
Farmers impacted by the significant costs associated with the clean up have noted that the structures were damaged through “no fault of their own” and were structurally sound preceding the fire.
The local shire has explained that it is working with both state and federal agencies to assist residents in obtaining funding assistance, for the safe disposal of the material, potentially under the Disaster Recovery Fund. However, state and local shire representatives noted the process was ongoing and “likely to take some time”.
One farmer who spoke to Farm Weekly said he was quoted more than $250,000 to remove asbestos-contaminated structures that had been destroyed in the fire. Even the initial contamination assessments were quoted at more than $2,500 per property, separate from containment procedure costs.
“We have been told if we have further assessments done we could slightly reduce the bill, but there are no guarantees,” the farmer said.