Guardian Australia can reveal companies that have breached NSW regulations for testing a type of cheap soil made from recycled construction and demolition waste.Guardian Australia can reveal companies that have breached NSW regulations for testing a type of cheap soil made from recycled construction and demolition waste.
“It is deeply concerning that some of the largest producers of recovered fines have avoided their obligations to ensure their products do not contain harmful contaminants,” Higginson said.Recovered fines are made from residues found in skip bins at construction and demolition sites. Retesting of recovered fines is not prohibited under the regulations. But if any test shows a sample has exceeded a contaminant threshold, the product is considered non-compliant and not suitable for sale and reuse.
Twenty-one facilities were found in the 2019 investigation not to have been meeting EPA sampling rules such as the frequency with which samples should be collected and tested and what they were tested for: eight sites owned by Bingo Industries, four owned by Benedict Industries and one each by Aussie Skips Recycling, KLF Holdings, Breen Resources, Brandown, Hi-Quality Waste Management, Budget Waste Recycling, Rock & Dirt Recycling, South Coast Equipment Recycling and Builders Recycling...
A spokesperson for Rock & Dirt Recyling said the company “does not propose to respond to your questions other than to reject the false premise that Rock & Dirt is supplying contaminated material to members of the public”. “Hi-Quality recognises that recovered products are crucial to creating a more sustainable sector and welcomes the opportunity to work with industry and stakeholders to strengthen regulation and advance the sector.”