Algae found in Rozelle Parklands pond, days before planned reopening

1 week ago 8

Blue-green algae person been discovered successful the wetlands of the Rozelle Parklands, conscionable days earlier the troubled country was owed to reopen to the public.

The bacteria, which usually sits connected the apical of bodies of h2o near stagnant, look successful a blueish colour. Not each forms of the bacteria are poisonous, but immoderate tin beryllium deadly to animals that travel into interaction with affected water.

Rozelle Parklands is owed to unfastened connected Tuesday, but blue-green algae person present been discovered successful the wetlands wrong the park.

Fences volition beryllium erected astir the wetlands, which represent a large information of the astir 10-hectare parkland successful Sydney’s interior west, earlier the fences that surrounding the full parkland are removed connected Monday up of its Tuesday reopening to the public.

The wetlands are connected to the h2o attraction installation for the tunnels that beryllium beneath the park, and successful the aboriginal volition besides beryllium connected to the Western Harbour Tunnel.

“Contact with [blue-green] algae by recreational users tin beryllium harmful,” the CSIRO says on its website. “There person been reports of tegument and oculus irritations, nausea, vomiting, musculus weakness oregon cramps by immoderate radical who person swum done algal scum oregon swallowed it.”

Fencing person been up astir Rozelle Parklands portion it remains closed.

Rozelle Parklands, which sits connected apical of the precocious opened and similarly troubled Rozelle Interchange, was closed successful January conscionable 24 days aft it opened pursuing a kid discovering bonded asbestos successful the mulch astir the children’s playground area.

While inactive perchance dangerous, bonded asbestos is improbable to merchandise the fibres that tin origin the deadly asbestosis. Friable asbestos, which was recovered elsewhere, carries much vulnerability risk.

The find was the archetypal of dozens of asbestos detections successful unfastened mulch crossed the state.

Asbestos-laden mulch is present besides being discovered elsewhere successful Australia, including successful Victoria and Queensland.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Transport for NSW confirmed the discovery.

“Transurban is liable for the wetlands and has a clean-up program successful place. They volition beryllium keeping Transport for NSW crossed progress,” the bureau said.

“While the wetlands are not for swimming oregon recreational use, arsenic a precaution, impermanent fencing volition stay successful spot astir the affected country and signage volition beryllium erected, to guarantee everyone’s safety.”

More to come