The proposed location for the new Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital has been found to be contaminated with friable asbestos and hazardous waste, including lead. The contamination of the site at the Bankstown Sports Complex, which is being considered as the site for the hospital, was only identified by an independent report commissioned by the local council.
NSW Health had previously launched an investigation into the waste at the site approximately a year ago. They are yet to release the findings of that investigation, citing that assessments are still being completed.
According to the council-funded report, asbestos was found within a metre of the surface at the site, including “loose fibre bundles in fill materials.” Other waste identified at the site is considered to “possess hazardous characteristics.”
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said of the contamination at the site: “It’s just unbelievable. It was a whole lot worse than what we thought it would be.”
“Putting a $1.3 billion hospital to service the growing community of Canterbury-Bankstown on a toxic waste dump I think is outrageous, and the government should rule this out straight away,” Mr Asfour said.
Current estimates from the Canterbury-Bankstown council show that remediating the site could cost up to $100 million, in addition to the cost of ongoing maintenance to ensure the site is kept safe.
“The in-ground investigations (at the site) are being assessed as part of the due diligence process for site selection,” a NSW Health Infrastructure spokesman said in a statement.