PFAS-contaminated compost sold to public, WA environmental regulator confirmsBy Bridget McArthur and Andrew WilliamsABC South West WATopic:Composting1h ago1 hours agoMon 12 May 2025 at 10:57pmLeonard Machen had been buying compost from BHRC for his vegetable garden for years. (ABC South West WA: Bridget McArthur)In short:WA's environmental regulator has confirmed compost sold by a regional council to the public was contaminated with toxic forever chemicals.The revelations have sparked public health concerns and questions around the management of the ratepayer-funded facility at Dardanup.What's next?All FOGO processing has been paused and contaminated compost will be sent to landfill for the time being. abc.net.au/news/bhrc-compost-sold-contained-pfas-environment-department/105259078Link copiedShareShare articleLeonard Machen had been filling his home vegetable garden with compost from a council-owned organic waste facility for years when he heard rumours it might be contaminated. Based in Dardanup, about 180 kilometres south of Perth, Bunbury Harvey Regional Council (BHRC) has been turning kerbside food organics and garden organics (FOGO) waste from more than 40,000 South West households into compost for over a decade.It then sells it back to residents and donates it to schools and community gardens.The ABC can now confirm samples of the compost tested by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) in May and October last year contained a group of toxic "forever chemicals" called PFAS "above laboratory detection limits".Nick Edwards says contaminated FOGO waste has been a growing issue in recent years. (ABC South West WA: Ella Loneragan)Mr Machen said the scale of the health risk was unclear but he had started removing the compost from his garden to be safe."You can't get any real answers from anyone," he said."Are we poisoning our own families with this sort of stuff? I don't know."The facility stopped selling the compost and ceased all FOGO processing in December.Local governments have started diverting it to landfill as they explore alternative solutions. FOGO to blamePFAS is found in a range of household products, even ones that claim to be compostable, like coffee cups. Federal guidelines warn the chemicals can bioaccumulate in plants and animals with adverse impacts, and some varieties are recognised internationally as being toxic to humans and wildlife.DWER said the FOGO waste was likely contaminated by household waste and plastics mixed up in green bins before it reached the facility.Nick Edwards says it's unusual to find larger bits of waste like this in the sifted compost pile. (ABC South West WA: Ella Loneragan)The department said concentrations were generally low but any waste containing detectable levels of PFAS was unsuitable for recycling into compost.However, it declined to comment on whether people should remove the contaminated product from their gardens.BHRC chief executive Nick Edwards said while the council stopped selling the compost out of caution he did not think it was unsafe and would still happily use it on his own garden.He said preliminary results of independent testing commissioned by BHRC had not detected PFAS, though he would not share the name of the company conducting the testing."It's important the focus is on the results rather than the company that's doing them," he said.Mr Machen started noticing bits of plastic in the compost he was buying from BHRC. (ABC South West WA: Bridget McArthur)Mr Edwards said he was committed to getting the facility back up and running but it would take a whole-of-community effort. "If people want to help us with PFAS then I encourage them stick to organic matter. If it hasn't come from a plant or an animal don't put it in your compost bin, that is very important," he said.The facility has struggled in recent years to manage increasing volumes of contaminated waste.Mr Edwards said the waste was largely processed manually, then put through an 8-millimetre sieve before being sold.Mr Machen, who has found several larger items like a plastic toy lion and roll of sticky tape in the compost, said decontamination measures were clearly falling short.Residents fear long-term health impactsJill Cross, a member of the Dardanup Environmental Action Group, said she had struggled to get clear information from BHRC or DWER about the level of PFAS contamination and potential health risks.Jill Cross is pushing for answers on the potential public health impacts of a local waste management facility. (ABC South West WA: Bridget McArthur)She said residents were worried that by the time it was better understood, it would be too late."It will be in the dust which will blow onto agricultural land and into Dardanup town site," she said. "It will blow on people's roofs, into their water tanks."Ms Cross said the regulator had failed to take BHRC to task on its management of the facility.In 2016, BHRC successfully pushed back on several aspects of DWER's proposed composting standards, including the mandate that organic processing facilities be enclosed to prevent the spread of pollutants and minimise methane emissions. In 2023, DWER issued a prevention notice to BHRC for failing to store waste, including partially processed compost stockpiles, under its licence, which posed a significant risk of pollution.Compost heaps at BHRC's Banksia Rd organic waste processing facility. (ABC South West WA: Bridget McArthur)When asked if BHRC had complied with that notice, DWER said it was the subject of an "ongoing investigation". "Therefore, it is not appropriate to make comment on the compliance status of the notice," a spokesperson said.Mr Edwards told the ABC the facility met some but not all of the requirements by the deadline and was working closely with DWER on the remainder.Posted 1h ago1 hours agoMon 12 May 2025 at 10:57pmShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesSussan Ley is the new leader of the Liberal party, PM's new ministry being sworn inLIVEPhoto shows A close-up of Jim Chalmers in front of a black background. Sussan Ley becomes first woman to lead Liberal PartyBREAKINGPhoto shows A close up of Sussan Ley smiling. 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