Rail company Pacific National has refuted claims of an asbestos risk from scrapping old locomotives at Port Kembla.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Mercury received several letters raising the issue, claiming there was asbestos in the locos being scrapped at Foreshore Road and the demolition was being done in the open “with none of the usual safety precautions”.
A spokeswoman for the rail company denied this.
“Pacific National uses certified asbestos removal agencies to assist in the scrapping of locomotives no longer safe for service,” she said.
“In addition we go to every effort to sustainably recycle what we can in this process in a way that is safe for our employees and the communities where we operate”.
The spokesman also responded to claims another use – such as a heritage museum – could be found.
“As a part of this responsibility, Pacific National has to ensure that the decommissioning of these locos is done in a safe and responsible way,” she said.