A number of instances of residents finding shards of glass in their FOGO compost have come to light.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The concerns have been shared with the Bega District News and with the local council, particularly worrying for those who have used the compost to top dress their whole lawn before realising.
One local resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, said he purchased FOGO compost when it first became available from the council last year. However as the pH levels weren't ideal for his flower beds, he used it on his lawn instead.
Only after watering it in did the multiple shards of glass become apparent.
He said the council was good in helping him rectify the situation, assisting with digging it out and re-turfing his yard, but he was understandably reluctant to make further use of the product, fearing not just for his own safety, but for children playing outside.
After huge demand last year, new batches of compost were delayed as the council's FOGO team tweaked their recipe to address pH concerns. The product returned to market in June but it appears glass shards and other contaminants remain an issue, reports to the BDN indicate.
Alan Gundrill, BVSC waste services manager, said similar to BDN, the council has also received some feedback on the presence of glass in the compost product.
Given the compost is derived from kitchen and garden waste disposed of by residents, the onus is on individuals to up their game on keeping contaminants out of their green bins.
"Our compost is derived from a waste stream, and so, unfortunately, contamination is an ongoing problem," Mr Gundrill said.
"Our organics team employ a number of measures to eliminate contamination - manual screening/picking through the material is undertaken by staff at all steps in the composting process, including when FOGO is first delivered, when compost is transported around the site, during water and turning, and at the point of sale.
"Furthermore, samples of all compost get tested to ensure it meets quality assurance standards - only then do we release it to the public.
We find all kinds of contaminants in FOGO delivered to our sites, from clothing and garden tools, to engine parts and household wastes.
- Alan Gundrill, BVSC waste services manager
"It is an unfortunate necessity that we explain to all users of our compost about the potential for contamination, and that if any is identified, it should be reported it to council immediately.
"Our staff show great pride and dedication in the quality of compost produced, and all feedback is important to help us improve our product."
Mr Gundrill said the best way to try to reduce contamination is through good public communication and education.
He said the waste services team find all kinds of non-organic - and not at all appropriate - material in people's green waste bins.
"What the public put into their FOGO bin ultimately determines the quality of our compost at the end of the day.
"We find all kinds of contaminants in FOGO delivered to our sites, from clothing and garden tools, to engine parts and household wastes.
"We urge residents to think carefully about how they use their bins, and to contact council if they have any questions or concerns - we are more than happy to help, especially when we know it helps us in the long run.
"As contamination continues, we look to employ a range of additional tools to help.
"Bin audits help us further understand how residents use their bins, and the collection trucks operated by Cleanaway also have cameras, so we can target individual offenders who choose to purposely contaminate.
"In the end, our messaging is simple. Please, choose the right bin."
The free Bega Valley Waste App has information on what waste is to go into what bin, or visit the council's Waste and Recycling Facebook page.