DOZENS of people who lived near a Melbourne asbestos factory linked to 16 deaths have called lawyers about compensation.
ENVIRONMENTAL scientists are testing a rail corridor near the former Wunderlich factory in Sunshine North, which covered the nearby area in asbestos dust from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Research has so far identified 25 people who lived near the factory who later died or became ill with asbestos-related illnesses. Slater and Gordon lawyer Margaret Kent said dozens of current and former residents had called the firm after weekend media reports of the deaths. “Some people appear to have developed health problems and we need to look at whether there’s a link to the Wunderlich factory,” Mr Kent said on Monday. “Sadly, we’ve also had calls from people who’ve lost loved ones and are now wondering whether their relatives may have been victims of environmental exposure.” The Environment Protection Agency sent officers on Monday to test land at the site not already capped with concrete. “EPA is at the rail corridor behind the old factory site today to find out what we are dealing with and working with VicTrack to clean up the site,” chief executive Nial Finegan told AAP. Mr Finegan said James Hardie sealed off the factory with concrete in 1985, and the EPA did annual inspections on the site. Federal Opposition Leader and local Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten said nothing other than the complete truth was good enough for residents. “The state government has to as a matter of urgency tell the residents what’s going on, provide all the resources necessary to put people’s minds at ease, that their kids aren’t exposed,” he told reporters. Premier Denis Napthine said there needed to be a thorough study examining the prevalence of cancers in the area. CSR, which ran the Wunderlich site from 1969 to 1977, said it had met all valid claims made against the company and its subsidiaries. “If there are matters regarding the former Wunderlich factory relevant to CSR that current and past residents of Sunshine wish to bring to CSR’s attention, then CSR will review them on their merits,” the company said on Sunday.