Little Bay Beach, a popular shoreline in Sydney's eastern suburbs, will close to the public for two weeks starting on Monday, April 26, in order to allow authorities to conduct an investigation into asbestos that was first discovered at the beach in August of 2020.
There's no need to panic yet – the council has confirmed that the beach is still safe, and will stay open on weekends even during the closure period. The closure is so that a detailed investigation can take place about the source of the hazardous material, which is likely from when the beach was used as a dumping ground decades ago.
"The temporary closure will allow Randwick City Council to safely complete a detailed site inspection and help better understand the location, source and extent of historic asbestos-containing materials found on site," says the Council's website.
The council believes the beach may have been used as an illegal fly-tip in the past, reports the ABC. This would explain the discovery of asbestos, a popular building material and fire retardant used extensively in the last century until its harmfulness to health became widely known. Specialists are usually required to safely remove and dispose of asbestos, which can cause serious damage to the lungs when particles of the fibrous mineral are inhaled.