The top 10 Australian farms with the highest levels of PM10 in soil, water and air, according to a new report by the Australian Environmental Defenders Office.
The top 10 are: The Rydals in North Queensland and the Glenorchy Farm near Gold Coast, the Wilsons in Sydney and the Trelleborg Farm near Ballarat.
The report found the farms are emitting pollution levels far higher than those of other farming communities in Australia.
“Farmers across Australia are not just producing a lot of food, they are also polluting the air, soil and water in large volumes,” said Anne-Marie O’Neill, the head of the AEDO’s environmental justice project.
“Our data shows that many farms in NSW and Victoria have the potential to pollute the air and soil in huge amounts, and in some cases even exceed that level in terms of their pollution.”
The top ten farms with highest pollution concentrations in soilThe Rydalls’ farm near Gold Coast.
Source: AP Photo/Andrew MearesAAP/File PhotoAADF research shows that the average Australian farmer has about 20 times the concentration of PM2.5 in soil than a neighbouring farmer, according the Aedicom.
The research shows a number of other Australian farms also have high levels of pollution in their soil, groundwater and air.
The Riddals’ farm is on a secluded farm near the Great Barrier Reef.
AADF’s research shows the average farm has about 30 times the concentrations of PM20 in soil and 40 times the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water than a nearby farm.
The Wilsones’ farm on the Gold Coast is close to a small beach, and the farm has a low level of water quality.
The farm is also close to the Great White Shark.
The Trellesborg farm in Ballarat has the highest level of pollution of any farm in Australia, according AEDF’s data.AADP has found that there are at least eight other farms in Sydney that have the same high pollution levels.
The Glenorchys farm in Sydney has the third highest concentration of pollution at 15 times the level found on the Australian average.
The Tasmanian farm has the second highest level, at 20 times.AEDF says these farms should not be allowed to pollish and are likely to be doing so anyway.
The farms in Ballarra are not the only ones in NSW to have high pollution concentrations, according a research by the University of New South Wales.
There are also many farms on farms in Victoria with high levels in the soil, according research by Environment New South Africa.AIDF’s study found the average level of PM in the soils of the seven most polluted farms in the country was 7,700 times the Australian standard, with another 10,000 times higher in the waters.
A farm in Melbourne is also on the Aids map, and has high levels.
In some cases, the levels can be as high as 300 times the standard.AAP Photo/Mark EvansThe top five Australian farms that emit the most PM10The Glenora farm in the Glenora River, Victoria.
Source : AADP The Riddels’ farm in South Australia has the most pollution of all farms on the NSW map, with pollution levels of 9,500 times the NSW standard.
The Stirling farm in Victoria has the top concentration of contamination, at 3,300 times the federal standard.
AEDP says the Glenoreys’ farm, near Stirling, has the worst pollution levels on the list.
It says the farms in both New South Bay and New Plymouth are particularly high in terms: levels of nitrates, phosphorous, sulfur, chlorine, lead and mercury.
The worst Australian farmThe Glenorey farm near New Plymouth. Source