A mix of pesticides (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) at dangerous levels has been found in the Richmond River.
The findings – collected in 2020–21 near the river mouth in Ballina – have been published in the Journal of Environmental Pollution.
The scientific paper is called Pesticide occurrence in a subtropical estuary, Australia: Complementary sampling methods.
It can be downloaded at www.sciencedirect.com.
The production of sugarcane
According to the 14-page paper, ‘Most of the chemicals detected in the study are registered for use in the production of sugarcane’.
Co-author, Dr Kirsten Benkendorff, from Southern Cross University, told The ABC the concentration of several pesticides exceeded safe environmental guidelines.
Compliance campaign
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) told The ABC they have commenced a compliance campaign targeting horticultural farms close to the testing locations. In 2014, Richmond River was rated a D minus score in a study into river catchment health.
At the time, the creeks in the Wilsons River catchment were also found to be in poor health, including Byron Creek and Wilsons Creek.
Kyogle, Casino, Coraki and Woodburn. It runs into the sea at Ballina, where the study was undertaken at six locations.
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