A NSW watchdog has been accused of overlooking asbestos risk at schools and childcare centres. 

Reports say the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) knew for over a decade about the risk of contamination in soil fill used in various public spaces. 

An investigation by Guardian Australia into internal EPA documents revealed significant risks in 'recovered fines', a product derived from construction and demolition waste.

Experts say that despite the health hazards of fibrous asbestos, the EPA stepped back from tightening regulations in 2022 after pushback from the waste industry.

The EPA's 2013 and 2019 investigations discovered widespread industry non-compliance with safety standards, with around 94 per cent of the industry failing to adhere to regulations in 2013, and over half of the samples tested in 2019 containing asbestos.

The EPA's alleged reluctance to impose stricter standards, even in the face of evident risks, has sparked criticism. 

With the construction and demolition industry generating significant waste in NSW, the management of recovered fines, which forms a part of the state's 'circular economy', is under scrutiny. 

As the community awaits further action and reform, based on upcoming reports from the NSW Chief Scientist and CSIRO/EPA research due later in 2024, the focus remains on ensuring safety standards are not compromised in environmental management efforts.