Asbestos Waste Disposal

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (15:49): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation regarding the dumping of asbestos.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Community concerns about the danger of asbestos have recently come to our attention after a constituent of mine discovered asbestos dumped in one of South Australia's premier tourism spots, Cleland Wildlife Park, last week. My questions to the minister are:

1. How many incidents of illegal dumping that include asbestos have been recorded by the department in recent years in South Australia?

2. What is the proper process that should be undertaken once dumped asbestos is reported?

3. Is the dumping reported to the Environment Protection Authority?

4. Is SafeWork SA notified?

5. What ongoing monitoring process does the department have in place for known dumping sites of asbestos?

6. Have there been any successful prosecutions for illegal dumping of rubbish, with or without asbestos, in national parks in South Australia?

7. Will the government consider funding free disposal to encourage responsible disposal of asbestos and related products?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:51): I thank the honourable member for her most important question. The Environment Protection Authority regulates asbestos waste and minimises related environmental harm through the licensing of transport, storage and disposal. In addition, the EPA plays an active role in managing asbestos-related matters such as illegal dumping and site contamination.

The EPA offers guidelines and advice to householders on the safe removal, transport and disposal of asbestos through the EPA website and the EPA Asbestos Hotline. The EPA recommends that all asbestos removal should be undertaken by a professional removalist due to the risks involved. All persons removing, storing, transporting and/or disposing of asbestos waste are bound by the general environmental duty under the Environment Protection Act 1993 to take all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent environmental harm. This includes taking the necessary safety precautions regarding the handling of asbestos, as outlined in the EPA guidelines.

SafeWork SA is the responsible authority for asbestos removal in the workplace and licenses asbestos removalists. SA Health and local councils who administer the Public Health Act 2012 also have a role and are able to provide information about public health risks from asbestos. Householders do not need a licence to remove asbestos, nor is an EPA licence required for the commercial removal of non-friable asbestos.

An EPA licence is required for the commercial removal of friable asbestos which licenses the remover as a producer of listed waste. Persons transporting asbestos waste for fee or reward require an EPA licence as a waste transporter. All landfills and waste transfer stations that receive asbestos waste have conditions on the EPA licences specifically relating to the receipt, storage and disposal of asbestos waste.

The EPA's illegal dumping unit was formed in 2011 to investigate the illegal dumping of commercial quantities of industrial, demolition and hazardous waste. This includes asbestos. The IDU also works with other government agencies and local government to provide advice and support for smaller scale dumping matters. In November 2014, the government launched an interagency website (www.asbestos.sa.gov.au) which provides a single point of entry for the general public to access asbestos information to assist them to:

safely deal with asbestos;

ensure they are meeting their obligations under legislation administered by a number of different South Australian government agencies; and

help them identify which agency to contact for more information, should the need arise.

From time to time, people do raise the issue about the cost of dumping asbestos in our prescribed dumps but, of course, that is a minor cost and would have no impact, I am advised, in terms of illegal dumping because the major cost associated with asbestos is the removal and the payment to an approved asbestos removal firm. In comparison, the dump charge is minimal.