Dear Members and Associates,

Subsequent to the initial presentations from SafeWork NSW, NSW EPA and industry, the AHCA has formed the ASBINS Working Group, based on an expression of interest. The group started meeting regularly in early 2020, initially meeting every fortnight to gain momentum, with a guest observer in attendance from the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency.

Several key topics from industry have been drafted as focus points for the Working Group, including:

• Use of vacuum trucks and associated guidance,
• The appropriate reporting of asbestos in soils in a laboratory setting,
• AF/FA and its relationship to remediation strategy and
• A review of associated industry documents and position papers with the Draft ALGA ASBINS position paper being the starting point, which we encourage all members to read.

The first task undertaken by the Working Group was to provide feedback and comments on the revised Draft Western Australia Department of Health Guidelines (WA DOH) for Guidelines for the Assessment, Remediation and Management of Asbestos-Contaminated Sites (2020).

A comprehensive review was undertaken by the Working Group and the AHCA response was submitted on the 6^th of March 2020, the outcomes of the public consultation process will be presented to members once available.