North Sydney Council has temporarily closed part of Blues Point Reserve after asbestos-containing material was identified along part of the foreshore.
The material was discovered by council staff undertaking routine duties on the south-western foreshore of the reserve, where small fragments of non-friable, asbestos-containing material appear to have been exposed by erosion.
The affected area extends for approximately 50 metres along the shoreline.
As a precaution, the affected area has been secured, fenced off and will remain closed until remediation works have been completed and the site has been independently assessed as safe for public use.
The council is engaging a licensed asbestos removal contractor to safely remove and dispose of the material at an approved waste facility.
It is anticipated that remediation works will commence this week, subject to the required regulatory processes. While the quantity of material identified is relatively minor, the full extent of the clean-up will not be known until works commence.
The council has undertaken visual inspections of adjoining areas and, at this stage, no additional asbestos-containing material has been identified. All other areas of Blues Point Reserve remain open and unaffected.
Members of the public are asked to respect all fencing and signage and avoid entering the closed area while remediation works are underway.
The council will continue to provide updates as works progress.