More asbestos found at Barangaroo development site

Officials from the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) found the deadly substance shortly after midday (AEST) on Monday.

A stop-work meeting, held at 7am on Tuesday when builders were due to begin their shift, resolved to stop excavation activity indefinitely until an independent hygienist declared the area to be safe.

CFMEU assistant state secretary Rob Kera said developer Lend Lease had previously declared the site to be safe.

"I believe they handled the situation disgracefully ... from a company that says they follow world's best practice," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"There has been an indefinite stoppage around the southern Barangaroo precinct."

The 40 construction workers who had been digging foundations on the southern end of the site will instead work on the northern end, Kera said.

David Hutton, Lend Lease group development manager, admitted there was some asbestos in the soil at Barangaroo.

"There are occasions where we have unexpected finds, in other words, when soil is being excavated we come across an asbestos find," he told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

"Yesterday, the area was cordoned off. The site will now be cleaned in accordance with our remediation action plan."

It's the second time work has been halted at the high-rise development because of fears about asbestos.

About 150 workers were removed in April after the CFMEU said testing revealed the area was contaminated by toxic chemicals, including asbestos and high levels of lead.