URGENT UPDATE: The cleanup of a hazardous asbestos-contaminated soil mound in Bangholme, Victoria, has been delayed once again, raising alarm among local residents. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria has granted a six-month extension to ESI Projects Pty Ltd, pushing the revised removal deadline to 29 June 2025.
This delay comes despite an order for the contaminated stockpile at 576 Frankston-Dandenong Road to be removed by the end of 2025. The mound, which contains category B contamination—the second-highest level of hazardousness—includes dangerous asbestos fragments, raising serious health concerns in the community.
Residents at the nearby Willow Lodge retirement village, located approximately 400 meters from the site, have expressed growing anxiety about the risks posed by contaminated soil dust, especially during hot and windy conditions. “We are worried about the potential health hazards,” one resident stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The EPA confirmed that ESI had submitted information regarding its plans for soil removal and requested the extension due to the project’s scale. An EPA spokesperson stated, “We will continue to monitor ESI’s progress.” However, the residents remain skeptical, given the history of delays.
In July 2024, concerns were first raised by residents and local officials, prompting the EPA to issue a cleanup order. ESI appealed the order, but the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) upheld it, initially setting a deadline of 29 December 2025. The latest extension has now pushed the cleanup completion to mid-2025.
The financial burden of the cleanup is significant. ESI estimates that remediation could cost up to $6 million, potentially leading to insolvency. Recent evidence presented at VCAT revealed that ESI recorded an operating loss of $382,000 for the ten months ending 30 April. This financial strain exacerbates residents’ fears that the cleanup may not proceed as promised.
In response to these concerns, Greater Dandenong Council has alleged that ESI breached its permit to accept clean fill at the site. However, the council has remained silent on any enforcement actions since then. Acting Chief Executive Sanjay Manivasagasivam stated that the council is “continuing to actively work” with landowners on compliance but acknowledged that “each regulator has its own process.”
Authorities have reassured the public that health risks to neighbors remain low, but residents are not convinced. The situation continues to develop, with many community members advocating for urgent action to ensure the cleanup proceeds without further delays.
As the deadline approaches, the EPA has indicated that it will explore “alternative pathways” should ESI fail to meet its obligations. “Victoria’s strong environmental laws provide alternative pathways to ensure that the liability of cleaning up pollution is borne by parties responsible for causing or permitting that pollution,” the EPA spokesperson added.
The community is closely watching this situation unfold, hoping for a decisive resolution that prioritizes public health and environmental safety. For now, the cleanup of the asbestos-riddled soil mound remains a pressing issue, with the clock ticking down to the new deadline of 29 June 2025.
Stay tuned for further updates as this critical situation develops.
