Illawarra firm clear of asbestos - but heavy metal found in the Enviro-Dust

South Coast Equipment (SCE) is now working with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to figure out which customers had received the chromium-contaminated material in its product called "Enviro-Dust".

SCE, on Shellharbour Rd at Warrawong, had been given a "prevention notice" by the EPA in February, at the height of the asbestos scandal in Sydney.

Parks and gardens across the city had been found to be contaminated with the carcinogenic substance from soil supply company Greenlife Resource Recovery.

In November, asbestos had been found in a pile of "recovered fines" at the Warrawong premises, in violation of SCE's licence.

By February, the EPA had issued the prevention notice. But when extensive testing all returned samples clear of asbestos, the EPA said, the prevention notice was revoked.

That wasn't the end of SCE's troubles - the more extensive testing revealed levels of chromium in the Enviro-Dust beyond what is allowed by the EPA licence.

There are different types of chromium but the most notorious, chromium-6, or hexavalent chromium, is carcinogenic.

Of 100 samples taken at SCE, four were found in April to contain "total chromium" in excess of the absolute maximum concentration allowed. Further sampling was then required.

The Mercury asked the EPA and South Coast Equipment whether chromium-6 was found in SCE's stockpile. The EPA did not yet know, as the testing was for "total chromium" only, and SCE did not reply.

The EPA's investigations found 1140 tonnes of Enviro-Dust had been supplied to customers before the testing last November - and work was still going on to locate these.

"The requested samples were received in April 2024 and exceeded the maximum concentration for chromium," an EPA spokesman said.

"The EPA issued a Prevention Notice which requires further chromium testing.

"EPA investigations revealed that SCE had allegedly supplied 1,140 tonnes of the material from the stockpile prior to the EPA collecting initial samples on 23 November 2024.

"The material is generally used in construction activities, such as road base and engineered fill, and these uses generally pose a low risk to human health and the environment.

"The EPA is continuing its investigations to confirm the supply details and the location of material that may have been supplied from the affected stockpile, and to determine if further actions need to be taken to address any potential environmental concerns."

The Mercury sought comment from SCE for this story.

Hexavalent chromium is generated from industrial processes, particularly metallurgical, refractory and chemical processes.

Hexavalent chromium was the silent villain in the Julia Roberts film Erin Brokovich. In real life Ms Brokovic fought for justice after residents of Hinkley, California, were poisoned by chromium-6 in the drinking water.