The wreckage of an asbestos-clad timber mill in Western Australia's south west remains unsecured five months after a fire, as authorities decide on appropriate clean-up measures.
Fire swept through the historic Pemberton mill site in mid-December, prompting immediate concerns about the release of asbestos dust.
Though the site was cordoned off after the fire was extinguished, it has largely been left alone since with little of the rubble, which includes asbestos, removed.
The mill, first built in 1913 on crown land, had not been operational since 2016 but it still housed machinery owned by current lessor of the site, Queensland-based Parkside Timber.
Parkside chief executive John McNamara said the company accepted it was liable for the cost of the clean-up but was unable to do so as it was "waiting on various government departments to approve a process to remove the building and remove [the] asbestos component".
"Once those approvals have been obtained, Parkside will go out to contract to get that job done completely," Mr McNamara said.
The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) is the agency tasked with the future use of the site.
A DPLH spokesperson said the department had "raised concerns with Parkside regarding their initial plans for remediation and they have been requested to come back with additional options".
"DPLH is currently in discussion with the Parkside Group on clean-up options for the site," the spokesperson said.
"Further investigations are required to understand the full extent of any potential contamination of the site for both parties and to understand the options that are feasible."
Mr McNamara said Parkside was also exploring options for a redevelopment of the site once the clean-up had been completed.
"We have yet to determine what that would be," he said.
Asbestos danger unknown
National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases scientific director Jenette Creaney said it would be prudent for all parties involved to hasten the removal of any residual asbestos that had been damaged by fire.
"Undisturbed, asbestos poses a very minimal risk, but it's not unlikely to imagine when damaged by fire, fibres could be picked up by wind and spread throughout the atmosphere," Professor Creaney said.
"Whether those fibres may be harmful to an individual is difficult to quantify though."
Professor Creaney said cases of individuals being diagnosed with asbestos-related cancers were generally increasing.
"We are finding people don't know where they were exposed but, as more old homes and buildings are renovated, asbestos fibres are likely to have been spread accordingly," she said.
"Most homes and buildings in Perth from a certain era contain asbestos and, consequently, more of it is being disturbed."
Shire of Manjimup president Paul Omodei said Pemberton residents were increasingly asking that the clean-up commence.
"We, as the local shire, can issue an order to demolish, but Parkside have indicated they wish to do so, but are waiting on the various approvals."
