Parkrun cancelled after cancer-causing asbestos found at Newport Lakes Reserve in Melbourne
A inner-west Melbourne park popular with walkers and runners has been partially closed after asbestos was found.
Barriers were erected at Newport Lakes Reserve on Thursday to warn visitors that cancer-causing fibres had been found within the arboretum.
The closure forced Saturday’s parkrun to be cancelled, the event team announced on social media.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“With a heavy heart our parkrun is cancelled this weekend,” the team wrote.
The barriers block the current trail from about the 750-metre mark though it is expected to reopen by next weekend.
In Sydney, more than 20 sites, including schools and parks, were cordoned off last year due to asbestos contamination.
Asbestos exposure can lead to malignant mesothelioma — an incurable cancer of the lungs, chest wall, or abdomen — which causes breathing difficulties and a persistent dry cough.
Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of lung cancer, with most sufferers dying within four to 18 months of diagnosis.
Asbestos was used extensively over the past century in products such as cement sheeting, roofing, and drainage pipes.
Any Australian home built or renovated before 1990 is likely to contain some form of asbestos.
According to The Age, at least four former ABC employees died after inhaling asbestos dust while working in buildings that contained the hazardous material.
Hobsons Bay City Council has been contacted for comment.
Originally published on 7NEWS
