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Sydney’s asbestos crisis was revealed in almost 400 pages of classified government documents and never-before-seen photographs of small fragments found by members of the public.
One of the first pieces of asbestos was found near a bus stop off Callan St in Rozelle, 7NEWS can reveal.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: A 7NEWS investigation unearths documents revealing the extent and cost of Sydney’s asbestos contamination crisis.
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The person who took it emailed authorities, sparking a frantic subsequent manhunt.
Within days a list of objects potentially exposed to asbestos in mulch blew to include parks, schools, hospitals and residential areas.
An investigation revealed hundreds of government risk reports showing more pieces of asbestos located in mulched garden beds.
Some photographs contained in the nearly 400 pages suggest that the asbestos sheets may have been run through a machine.
“It’s pretty easy for someone who’s not completely familiar with fiber asbestos sheet products (to put) them in the machine,” said Peter Tighe, president of the Asbestos Disease Research Foundation.
“It would come in a connected state. But once it’s gone through the shredder, it can change dramatically.
Some sites in Sydney remain sealed off to the public for months after the asbestos was first discovered.
However, the NSW EPA says many have reopened.
“These circumstances, in terms of how the material ended up in the mulch, are very much the focus of our ongoing investigation,” NSW EPA director of operations Adam Gilligan said.
“A significant portion of those 79 sites we identified have been cleaned up.”
Government documents also raised concerns about the significant cost to the taxpayer.
In an email from the public works director, one person quoted $100 million.
At Rozelle Parklands, taxpayers have already shelled out almost $270,000 for a four-month contract with a testing company.
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