Norm Atkinson no longer feels like he is living with a time bomb ticking away in his Nowra home.
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His home was once full of asbestos dust, had thousands of chunks of the dangerous matter under the property, and the house had issues with lead paint.
This was in February and the desperate Mr Atkinson contacted the South Coast Register for help.
The Department of Community and Family Services responded and Mr Atkinson now feels it’s safe to live in the home.
“I feel a lot better with my physical and mental health as well,” he said
“I do feel I have been affected by the asbestos in a way but the work has picked up my mental health and anxiety levels.
“I have been here 15-years and I am a clean and tidy person and the work they have done here is unbelievable.”
Mr Atkinson said the work to the house surprised him.
“I have been trying to get the work done for 15-years because I put on my application about the things I felt should be done on my lease as a tenant,” he said.
“They were just patching and covering up and it took coming to you (the media) to get something done and the asbestos awareness team also got hold of it as well,” he said
The workers did not muck around.
The whole laundry was stripped out of asbestos, they took out the lead paint around the windows and replaced them with aluminium.
He added all the work was carried out to the proper work and occupational standards and there was even a monitor setup to check for asbestos dust.
Mr Atkinson added no risks were taken with the asbestos removal and it was double bagged and taken away.
“They had signs out and everything - it was all done perfectly,” he said.
Mr Atkinson can't thank the workers enough.
He would like to thank Lake Maintenance and added it was good local tradespeople like Pacific Blue Contracting were used.
“They did a beautiful job and they were all nice guys,” Mr Atkinson said.
He even got a new heater, light and fan in his bathroom, a new sensor light, new carpet in his spare room and new power points.
The best work, however, was under the house.
“Underneath the house is what I am really impressed with,” he said.
Thousands of piece of asbestos are gone from under the house and the ground was sealed with concrete.
At the end of the day he just feels safe in his home.
“I am not in good health but now I will be right here now and I am close to a hospital, close to amenities and close to the Aboriginal Medical Service as well,” he said.
Related: When we first met Norm