Sydney’s Rozelle parklands to remain shut for at least six weeks due to asbestos contamination

Remediation efforts will see Rozelle parklands closed for the rest of January and February. Last week a child found asbestos in garden mulch beside a playground. Photograph: Peter Hannam

An asbestos-contaminated park in Sydney’s inner west will remain closed for at least six weeks while all of the recycled mulch on the site is removed and replaced following an order from the New South Wales environmental watchdog.

The Environment Protection Authority has issued a clean-up notice to the state’s department of transport, which was in charge of delivering the Rozelle parklands as part of the government’s $3.9bn Rozelle interchange project.