No asbestos in Orange’s bypass

THE FACTS

Orange’s northern bypass is built through country on the city’s north-eastern outskirts, which contains mineral deposits of naturally-occurring asbestos.

This strip of land is well-mapped and has been known about for many years.

Over those years, Orange City Council has developed a detailed management plan which sets strict guidelines for builders and any one doing construction work in that area.

Orange City Council is leading the state in how naturally occurring asbestos is managed.

The NSW Government’s WorkCover Authority has been working with Orange City Council for years as these work procedures were developed and the Authority has endorsed how the Council manages the potential risks of naturally-occurring asbestos.

Where construction activity or earth-works involves disturbing the naturally-occurring asbestos, these procedures include burying this material deep underground, and not in a place where it could be disturbed again.

Properly managed there are no health risks associated with naturally occurring asbestos in the vicinity of the northern bypass.

There’s no asbestos in the road foundations :

Rocks and soil containing naturally occurring asbestos was dealt with and managed as the bypass road was built.

In very controlled circumstances, this material was buried, in line with the management plans, where it would not be disturbed again.

Asbestos was buried deep under large mounds of earth alongside the bypass that are used to deflect traffic noise away from residents.

The bypass construction project included a number of bridges. In structures such as this where there very deep foundations, the material containing asbestos was buried deep under the ground.

No naturally occurring asbestos was placed in the foundations (pavement) of the road.

Removing the existing bitumen surface and re-surfacing the road with hotmix will not expose any asbestos.