NAURU – A microbiologist contracted to assess the mould in the Nauru immigration centre says the contamination was “of epic proportions” and presented a serious health hazard to those in the camp.

He added that his report on the problem was covered up by authorities.

Former staff have said they have been left with cognitive impairment and chronic lung infections after living and working in contaminated buildings,

The microbiologist – Dr Cameron Jones – was contracted by the camp management contractor Transfield, the company has since been rebranded as Broadspectrum, in 2014 to assess the uncontrolled mould outbreak within the Australian-run Nauru regional processing centre, and to recommend ways to combat it.

“It couldn’t be any worse. You have a hot, humid environment. You have non-airconditioned accommodation, with the combination of porous sleeping materials, canvas, and hot sunlight. So essentially those tents were acting as an incubator.

“The mould was of epic proportions – it was an absolute nightmare.”

Camp managers seemed unwilling to adhere to international or Australian mould standards. This was reflected in his 225-page report, which has been obtained by the Guardian.

The mould was a severe health hazard for those forced to live and work within the centre, Jones said.

Those exposed were at risk of candidemia, “a significant cause of death worldwide”, as well as respiratory distress, and adult onset asthma. He said anyone who was pregnant or immuno-suppressed was at acute risk.

“People can end up with a whole host of symptoms – headaches, weight loss, cognitive impairment, people become extremely unwell.”

Jones said the security regime was “extremely hostile” to his presence.

“When I got there I was just staggered, my passport was taken from me. I had to sign voluminous paperwork around all sorts of secrecy – I told them, ‘I have no intention of signing this’.”

He said he was closely monitored and his work censored. Photos were seized and several deleted by security guards, as well as video footage.

He said he was not allowed to speak to asylum seekers about their health concerns, nor with medical staff, despite promises of interviews..

“Guards would not allow me to talk to any asylum seekers. It was a very hostile six days.”

Jones said even his accommodation was rife with mould.

He said the mould problem in the tent accommodation could have been remediated – though not eliminated – with air-conditioning, HEPA air purifiers and hydrophobic paint.

However, the modular buildings, used for staff accommodation and as workspaces, had arrived on the island already heavily contaminated with mould and could not be rehabilitated.

“Nothing could be done to those modular buildings. All of that was a disaster waiting to happen.

“It’s the worst cover-up I have seen in my professional career, and I find it reprehensible that this has been swept under the carpet in this way.”

In response, Broadspectrum said: “Broadspectrum maintained a safe and healthy workplace for its employees while working at the Regional Processing Centres until 31 October 2017.”

Department and contractor staff, asylum seekers, and refugees have contacted the Guardian saying “highly toxic” mould was an overwhelming problem across the centre, that posed a “major risk to the health and safety of the occupants”.

Staff have said that they, along with unaccompanied minors, were asked to scrub the mould from tents. Several have said they are suffering from what they colloquially term “Nauru lung”– a persistent, hacking cough and shortness of breath.

At least 330 refugees and asylum seekers, including 36 children, remain in mould-prone tents in RPC3.

Photos taken this week on the island and provided to the Guardian show the mould remains a pervasive problem.

A spokesman for the Department of Home Affairs told the Guardian “there have been no cases of anyone developing health issues following exposure to mould at the Nauru RPC”.

He said the department had implemented several mould remediation practices at the Nauru RPC and any mould problems were identified and promptly rectified.

“There is no health risk to anyone at the Nauru RPC relating to mould and the department strongly disputes any claim to the contrary.”

However, a spokesman for the government’s workplace safety agency Comcare, confirmed t received a complaint in 2016 “from a worker employed by a contractor who advised they had been diagnosed with a respiratory condition after living in a mould affected building at the Nauru RPC”.

“Following inquiries, Comcare was of the view that ongoing measures were in place to deal with the problem of mould, which included replacing affected structures and installing new air conditioners.”

Comcare has been monitoring mould issues at the Nauru RPC, including through onsite inspections in 2014, 2015, and 2017.

“We are satisfied that reasonably practicable steps were taken to address problems with mould at the centre, and that the most recent site inspection in August 2017 found no significant issues.”

- Guardian