Literature
Literature review
Literature Review 1 – National and International Standards and Guidelines for Asbestos Threshold Levels in Waste
crcCARE was engaged by the NSW Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) on 10 April 2024 to conduct this review of the standards and guidelines of waste and recovered materials where threshold levels for asbestos in recycled waste have been established, particularly within the framework of resource recovery. The review aims to provide sufficient information to understand and communicate the prevailing national and international standards and guidelines to form a cohesive understanding of the accepted thresholds for asbestos in waste materials.
Literature Review 2 – Management of asbestos in recovered fines and recovered materials for beneficial reuse in NSW
In December 2022, the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) was requested by the then Minister for the Environment to provide independent advice into the safe and effective management of asbestos in recovered fines and materials for beneficial reuse in NSW. It should be emphasised that this is not a review of policy or legislation, but a review of evidence that may support changes to policy and/or legislation.
The findings and recommendations of the review reflect a need to address the problem with a through- chain risk-based approach. A focus on reducing and eliminating asbestos at all stages, including through source separation, will likely provide better outcomes for managing asbestos in recovered fines and materials. It is important to highlight that dilution is never the intention of this approach and will not be supported.