❓ Hon Dee Margetts questions the Water Corporation's plan for a biosolids facility regarding testing and treatment of pharmaceutical products, and prevention of their circulation in the ecosystem. The Minister responds that the Corporation adheres to existing guidelines and does not consider these substances a risk.
AnsweredQoN 721Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Water Corporation’s plan to establish a biosolids storage and distribution facility at Anandale Farm in Gillingara. (1) Does the Water Corporation intend to test for levels of antibiotics, hormones and other incompletely metabolised pharmaceutical products that may be evident in the biosolids? (2) If yes to (1), and if there is a presence of pharmaceutical products in the biosolids, does the Water Corporation intend to treat the biosolids to eliminate the presence of any pharmaceutical products before they are distributed for application? (3) How will the Water Corporation prevent the ongoing circulation of unmetabolised pharmaceutical products from occurring in the local ecosystem, especially considering the land on which the biosolids is to be applied is used for grazing? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(1) Does the Water Corporation intend to test for levels of antibiotics, hormones and other incompletely metabolised pharmaceutical products that may be evident in the biosolids? (2) If yes to (1), and if there is a presence of pharmaceutical products in the biosolids, does the Water Corporation intend to treat the biosolids to eliminate the presence of any pharmaceutical products before they are distributed for application? (3) How will the Water Corporation prevent the ongoing circulation of unmetabolised pharmaceutical products from occurring in the local ecosystem, especially considering the land on which the biosolids is to be applied is used for grazing? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(2) If yes to (1), and if there is a presence of pharmaceutical products in the biosolids, does the Water Corporation intend to treat the biosolids to eliminate the presence of any pharmaceutical products before they are distributed for application? (3) How will the Water Corporation prevent the ongoing circulation of unmetabolised pharmaceutical products from occurring in the local ecosystem, especially considering the land on which the biosolids is to be applied is used for grazing? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(3) How will the Water Corporation prevent the ongoing circulation of unmetabolised pharmaceutical products from occurring in the local ecosystem, especially considering the land on which the biosolids is to be applied is used for grazing? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(1) Does the Water Corporation intend to test for levels of antibiotics, hormones and other incompletely metabolised pharmaceutical products that may be evident in the biosolids? (2) If yes to (1), and if there is a presence of pharmaceutical products in the biosolids, does the Water Corporation intend to treat the biosolids to eliminate the presence of any pharmaceutical products before they are distributed for application? (3) How will the Water Corporation prevent the ongoing circulation of unmetabolised pharmaceutical products from occurring in the local ecosystem, especially considering the land on which the biosolids is to be applied is used for grazing? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(2) If yes to (1), and if there is a presence of pharmaceutical products in the biosolids, does the Water Corporation intend to treat the biosolids to eliminate the presence of any pharmaceutical products before they are distributed for application? (3) How will the Water Corporation prevent the ongoing circulation of unmetabolised pharmaceutical products from occurring in the local ecosystem, especially considering the land on which the biosolids is to be applied is used for grazing? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(3) How will the Water Corporation prevent the ongoing circulation of unmetabolised pharmaceutical products from occurring in the local ecosystem, especially considering the land on which the biosolids is to be applied is used for grazing? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(1) No. The Water Corporation operates in accordance with the current guidelines - “Western Australian Guideline for the Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products [DEP 2002]” - and does not monitor for the substances in biosolids as they are not considered to be a risk to public health. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
(3) The Water Corporation’s biosolids reuse programs are operated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and are not considered to represent a risk to public health or the local environment when undertaken in accordance with the guidelines.
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