Compost/mulch asbestos investigation
This investigation is now finalised.
Queensland’s detection of contaminated compost and mulch products came following concerns in New South Wales.
The joint operation between Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) and the Asbestos Safety Unit of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) started in February 2024 and was finalised in April 2024.
Initially, the operation undertook proactive sampling of 23 landfill operations, transfer stations, landscape suppliers, composters and mulch suppliers across Southeast Queensland, with one positive detection in a compost product.
The positive sample was a small amount of asbestos in compost product at a composting facility operated by NuGrow Ipswich Pty Ltd in Swanbank, Ipswich.
The asbestos found in the positive sample was two strands measuring between 1.5mm and 3mm.
The program was extended to a further 13 sites across Queensland, where asbestos was found in a sample of mulch at Livingstone Shire Council’s Emu Park transfer station.
DESI also identified asbestos at four other sites, but not in end products leaving the site.
Throughout the investigation, DESI provided community updates on this web page.
Visit WHSQ for the location lists and status of sites that received compost potentially contaminated with asbestos.
DESI has finalised its proactive asbestos sampling and inspection program, with only two of 36 sites sampled having positive detections in end products. DESI also identified Asbestos in products leaving the site at two facilities, and asbestos on site, but not in end product, at four other waste facilities.
DESI and WHSQ have engaged with the operators of these sites to encourage, and in some cases require, improvements in the identification, management and disposal of asbestos.
DESI will continue to educate waste operators on their responsibilities and obligations under legislation regarding the appropriate management and disposal of asbestos. This will include industry-facing guidance material and further engagement with industry associations to identify and address risk areas.
DESI will also continue its routine risk-based monitoring of the sites it regulates. Management practices around identification, segregation and disposal of asbestos will be a key focus area for future inspections at waste facilities.
Following the detection of mulch in a stockpile at the Emu Park transfer station, the environmental regulator issued Livingstone Shire Council with an emergency direction on 13 March.
Council acted quickly to fence off and remove the contaminated stockpile and undertook proactive steps to track down any residents who received mulch from facility.
The environmental regulator will continue to monitor the Emu Park site until the contaminated material has been cleared or disposed of and all requirements of the emergency direction have been met.
Following the detection of asbestos at NuGrow Ipswich in February, they have now complied with all the requirements of the emergency direction that was issued to them. The department will now seek to finalise the emergency direction issued to NuGrow.
Laboratory results have confirmed asbestos has been detected in a mulch stockpile at Livingstone Shire Council’s Emu Park transfer station.
As a precaution, council has closed the transfer station and asked residents to avoid disturbing any mulch obtained from the facility. It is understood that the asbestos found was bonded asbestos and only a small number of residents have picked up mulch from the transfer station in recent weeks, suggesting a low risk to the community.
DESI are investigating and are working with Council to determine where the contaminated mulch has been taken offsite and that measures are implemented to ensure the contaminated material is not distributed further. DESI will also be conducting further inspections to ensure the site is operating in compliance with the necessary controls and procedures.
DESI is also working closely with Council and Queensland Health to assess any risks to the general public. We will immediately inform the community if any health risks are identified.
Any residents who are concerned they may have received contaminated mulch from the Emu Park transfer station can contact Livingstone Shire Council on 1300 790 919 or the DESI Pollution Hotline on 1300 130 372 (press 2).
DESI is also investigating after proactive testing at NuGrow Rockhampton returned positive results for asbestos. The samples were not part of a stockpile of finished compost material and it is not considered to be in materials that have left the site at this stage. Further testing is under way.
No further evidence of asbestos contamination has been found in 17 samples taken at NuGrow’s Swanbank facility. All samples returned negative results for asbestos.
Results of air monitoring in the area indicate that asbestos levels in the residential areas surrounding the NuGrow facility are consistent with the typical concentration of background airborne asbestos in the environment.
Officers have continued their investigations into the potential source.
This included an inspection of the nearby Lantrak landfill site. No compliance issues have been identified and there is no evidence to suggest that asbestos fibres may have been released from that site.
DESI’s enquiries indicate that emissions from neighbouring sites in the area are highly unlikely to account for the asbestos in the NuGrow compost sample, given the size of the particles that were detected, even at higher wind speeds.
DESI will ensure the controls NuGrow has in place to prevent asbestos being received through its feedstocks are adequate and will continue educating the broader waste industry to improve practices regarding the identification and segregation of asbestos.
NuGrow has provided all information required by DESI under the emergency direction to date and officers are working through this material now. DESI is engaging further with NuGrow regarding its efforts to identify potential sources and to ensure any material leaving the site is suitable for use.
There is no further evidence of asbestos contamination in compost and mulch products at the first 23 waste sites tested as part of DESI’s ongoing investigation.
All samples that were tested have now returned negative results for asbestos, except the one sample taken from NuGrow’s Swanbank facility. The sample was confirmed by laboratory testing to contain asbestos, described as two fibrous fragments each measuring about 1.5mm by 3mm.
DESI is continuing its investigations and has expanded its inspection and testing outside of South East Queensland, with samples taken from six sites so far.
DESI has required NuGrow to provide information about the potential sources of asbestos and is also conducting its own enquiries into how the asbestos may have been brought on site.
Today, as an additional precaution, DESI officers have expanded air quality monitoring in the Swanbank area to specifically test for the presence of any air-borne asbestos. These results will likely be available next week.
WHSQ is engaging with workplaces that have received material from NuGrow’s Ipswich facility since 2 February, and will continue to provide updated information on their website about sites which may have received potentially contaminated material.
Precautionary requirements have been imposed on NuGrow to protect health, safety, and the environment.
This includes WHSQ prohibiting NuGrow from disturbing the contaminated stockpile, and DESI ordering NuGrow to take all reasonable and practical measures to prevent asbestos from being released into the air.
A full assessment and testing of stockpiles on the site is now required, and DESI will also be undertaking precautionary air quality testing in the area.
DESI has issued NuGrow with an emergency direction that:
- requires NuGrow to immediately take action to prevent any release of asbestos to the air
- prohibits removing the material from the site unless it is being lawfully disposed or is certified by a qualified professional that it is asbestos free
- requires NuGrow to provide information on where material has been taken off site within the last 30 days and how the asbestos may have been bought onto the site
- directs NuGrow to engage an appropriately qualified person with specialist knowledge in asbestos management to carry out an independent assessment of all material on site.
WSHQ has also issued a prohibition notice preventing distribution of the contaminated materials.
DESI is also undertaking precautionary air quality testing in the area.
DESI is working closely with Queensland Health and WHSQ to assess risks to workers at the facility or the general public.
DESI has also expanded its inspection and sampling program to incorporate a selection of additional sites outside of South East Queensland.
The community will be informed immediately if any health risks are identified.
More information
Visit
For information about WHSQ’s work with businesses in the supply chain, the list of locations of sites that have received compost potentially contaminated with asbestos and asbestos health and safety information, visit update on asbestos in soil.
Phone
Contact the Pollution Hotline on 1300 130 372 for further information, press 2.