HUNDREDS of Orange properties have been tested in the NSW Government’s loose-fill asbestos program as opposed to just a handful in Bathurst.
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Orange was one of the 28 Local Government Areas (LGA) identified as being affected by loose-fill asbestos when the government launched its Voluntary Purchase and Demolition Program in 2015.
The program allows owners whose properties are found to be eligible to have the property sample-tested by a licensed asbestos assessor, free of charge.
There were 2472 registrations in the Orange LGA as of December 20, 2016, according to NSW Fair Trading.
421 tests have been completed and none have confirmed the presence of loose-fill asbestos.
Of those, 421 tests have been completed and none have confirmed the presence of loose-fill asbestos.
A further 242 registrations will not proceed because they did not meet the eligibility criteria, the registration was withdrawn or it was a duplicate.
Homeowners can still arrange their own testing using an asbestos assessor licensed by SafeWork NSW. If the test confirms the presence of loose-fill asbestos, the cost of the test will be refunded and the homeowner will be included in the program.
“Eligible homeowners will have until July 31, 2017 to submit private testing results to NSW Fair Trading and be considered for inclusion in the program,” the spokesperson said.