Thursday, 31 October 2024

Waste and recycling management

Moira DEEMING (Western Metropolitan) (12:29): (722) My question is for the minister representing the Minister for Environment. I would like to begin by offering my thanks and congratulations to the EPA and the Victorian government on a wonderful development that happened at the beginning of October this year. It was this: the Victorian EPA have now updated section 1828.2 of their guidance to include clear thresholds for PFAS in soil so that it can be tested and categorised as safe for certain uses. This gives certainty to the waste and recycling industries by defining clean fill and category B and A fill, and it helps to protect our environment and reduces the amount of PFAS finding its way into our food. My question is: will the environment minister, along with the Minister for Water and the EPA, establish PFAS thresholds for other well-known sources of PFAS contamination which are currently still entering the general economy unchecked, such as organics, recycled aggregates and biosolids from wastewater, which are applied to farmland and enter into our food products?

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:30): I thank Mrs Deeming for her question. That matter will be referred to the Minister for Environment, Minister Dimopoulos, and as per the standing orders I know he will respond to you within the prescribed times.

Moira DEEMING (Western Metropolitan) (12:30): I have long lobbied for an objective, holistic and comprehensive framework for PFAS and PFOA testing and threshold guidelines because that is what we need to manage and reduce exposure to these substances in our food and in our environment. But noting that this new PFAS testing guideline for soil that we have just introduced in Victoria this year has been in place in New South Wales since 2016, can the minister also please assure me that Victorians will not have to wait yet another eight years for the next round of PFAS guidelines?

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:31): Again I thank Mrs Deeming for her supplementary question, and it will be referred to the Minister for Environment.