Auckland Council is working to remove and investigation pieces of asbestos-containing material (ACM) which have been washing up along Auckland’s eastern coastline.
The Council says that while the risk posed to the public by the material is low, it is taking all necessary precautions and removing the material from affected beaches.
The largest amounts of ACM have been found at Glendowie Bay and, to a lesser extent, neighbouring Karaka Bay. Very small amounts have also been found further up the Tāmaki River towards Panmure.
Signage is in place at Glendowie and Karaka Bay and the council has conducted several clean-ups to remove the material from these beaches.
Manager of Licensing & Environmental Health, Mervyn Chetty says there was no need for the public to avoid beaches where ACM is present, but if material is spotted it should be left undisturbed and reported to healthenforcement@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or by phoning 09 301 0101.
“We are asking people to take a common-sense approach and to simply leave ACM alone for the council to collect. Dogs and children should also be prevented from picking up the material,” he says.
The Council says the recently washed-up pieces of ACM are 5 -10cm pieces of fibre cement board, likely to be from historic construction waste. Asbestos in this form is considered non-friable, meaning it cannot be broken up and inhaled under normal circumstances.
Health New Zealand Medical Officer of Health, Dr David Sinclair says the riskiest situation is where dust is being generated from Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) being cut or damaged.
“In outdoor settings such as the affected beaches, we’d expect the level of asbestos dust to be minimal, especially when the material is below the high tide mark and damp. However, people should inform Auckland Council if they find ACM so it can be removed, and not disturb the ACM pieces or collect them.”
Pinpointing the source of ACM material is difficult, says Mr Chetty, especially given the likely age of the material.
“Unfortunately, waste disposal practices were not always what they are today. The ACM we’re finding now is likely to be decades-old construction waste that was dumped near the shoreline, which over time has fragmented and dispersed along beaches due to natural processes like tides and weather,” he said.
The council has not identified a likely single source of the material but is continuing to conduct investigations. If any members of the public have information that would assist, they are encouraged to report this to healthenforcement@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
Further health advice on asbestos containing materials is available on the Health New Zealand website.
