Sydney authorities reported on Monday that seven more public facilities, including a school, a sports centre and a supermarket, had been exposed to asbestos, according to Reuters.
As contamination from the toxic material increased, authorities rushed to remove it from public areas. Traces of bound asbestos in mulch have been found in 41 locations since early January, when it was discovered in a playground.
The New South Wales state government established an asbestos working group to provide more resources and support to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). As of Sunday, just under 700 tests had yielded negative results, the EPA stated in its latest update, with results from three schools still pending.
With the exception of one location, the type of asbestos found so far is bound asbestos, which is considered a low risk to human health and the environment if not disturbed, but health officials are conducting precautionary tests.
Asbestos became popular in the late 19th century as a way of reinforcing cement and fire protection, but later studies revealed that inhaling asbestos fibres could cause lung inflammation and cancer. It is now banned in many countries around the world.
