ENVIRONMENT GROUP CALLS FOR URGENT RESPONSE TO FERTILISER SCARE
Thursday, 09 May 2002 10:00
A peak environment group has called for an urgent response to the dumping of industrial waste on farms and gardens across Australia.
Ben Cole from the Total Environment Centre said the practice clearly shows that industry is failing to responsibly manage its waste.
"The onus of responsibility is clearly on industry and the regulatory agencies to prove that this practice is not putting human and environmental health at risk," said Ben Cole, Chemicals campaigner of the Total Environment Centre.
"Regulatory agencies and industry should urgently identify all fertilisers that contain excessive levels of heavy metals and other contaminants."
"Crops which have been heavily fertilised with unscreened industrial wastes and are known to uptake heavy metals, particularly leafy, tuber and root vegetables should be extensively tested for heavy metal contamination."
"Regulatory agencies should conduct urgent ecological assessments to determine how the impact of heavy metals is affecting the ecosystems surrounding agricultural land."
Total Environment Centre calls on the regulatory agencies and industry to develop an immediate plan to assure the community that this practice is not causing long-term health effects and environmental harm.
For more information: Ben Cole, Total Environment Centre, 9299 5680
Ten point plan is attached
TOTAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE'S TEN POINT PLAN: A RESPONSE TO INDUSTRIAL WASTE USED ON AGRICULTURAL LAND
Identification of 'high risk' crops that have been using unscreened industrial wastes as fertiliser and are known to uptake heavy metals. These include leafy, tuber and root vegetables.
Immediate testing of heavy metals and other contaminant levels within 'high risk' crops. Any crops that are found to exceed the Maximum Permitted Concentration (MPC) of any heavy metal or other contaminant must be immediately removed from the market.
Ecological risk assessments of all 'high risk' sites to ensure surrounding soil and waterways are not contaminated.
Development of a State wide program that expands the existing inadequate monitoring programs to ensure the level of heavy metals and other contaminants have not been exceeded on all agricultural produce that has been fertilised with industrial waste.
Development of a State wide program that determines the ecological risk associated with the use of industrial waste as fertiliser.
Introduction of National Guidelines for fertiliser composition and labelling. The composition requirements should follow international best practice, such as those developed by the United States Fertiliser Institute which has listed 12 heavy metals and one radionuclide.
Full disclosure of all heavy metals and other by-products particularly organochlorines on fertiliser labelling.
Regulatory agencies to conduct regular, independent assessment of all industrial waste that is currently being used as fertiliser.
Cease importation of all fertiliser that has been identified as being produced with industrial waste.
Adoption of cleaner production by industry that embraces zero pollution leaving a site and genuine reuse of wastes.
