Large white tarps will start appearing across Holbrook within a fortnight as the process to remove asbestos from the first batch of 38 affected homes gets underway.
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Scaffolding has already appeared on many properties and all 17 in line for the first demolitions will be officially secured and encapsulated, a NSW Fair Trading spokeswoman told Greater Hume Council on Wednesday.
In providing the update, Kelly Bird said once the properties were made construction-ready, they would be encapsulated.
“They use a thick plastic wrap around the entire property – it’s quite a sight – and that’s going to start happening in Holbrook over the next couple weeks,” she said.
Ms Bird said once it was determined this process had occurred properly, the asbestos would be removed and kept temporarily at the Culcairn Landfill until the entire batch was completed, with the waste to then end up at Albury landfill “forever”.
“Then there is the interim clearance stage, for assessors to ensure all asbestos has been removed – and the structure can be demolished,” she said.
Councillor Denise Osborne asked what the process would be with land retained by the NSW government, noting lots clustered together could be used for special housing, or they could “do what they want with it”.
Ms Bird said the government would seek any opportunity for internal use of the land, but most often simply put the land to public auction.
General Manager Stephen Pinnuck said so far, 10 to 12 home owners had decided to rebuild on the properties left vacant by the demolition.