Edgewater residents raises concerns of fertiliser used in City of Joondalup

AN Edgewater resident has raised concerns about pets getting sick after fertiliser is applied at parks.

Anne Keppel said her dog Lena has thrown up several times after being at Emerald Park when fertiliser had been applied and she knew of other dogs who were also sick or had itchy paws.

She attended last month’s Joondalup council meeting to request signs advising that fertiliser is being applied to be put up at parks for 72 hours to cover the day before, of and after application.

She also said she had been advised to apply to be on the City’s pesticide notification register but that was only for people living within 100m of a park, and she was not in that radius for Emerald Park.

She told the Times she had asked two vets about the Baileys 3.1.1 fertiliser, which the City uses, and was told it was toxic to pets.

She also raised concerns of kids at a nearby childcare centre possibly being affected.

“I’m not just worried about the dogs, it’s the kids playing on the oval too,” she said.

“I just want to let people know to be careful.”

Joondalup chief executive Garry Hunt said the City used fertiliser products “similar to those that are widely available to the general public and used residentially”.

He said this included one application a year of Baileys 3.1.1. Plus (Grosorb – wetting agent) blend within irrigated local open spaces and parks.

“All fertiliser products are applied by suitably qualified and experienced personnel and used as per manufacturer requirements and specified application rates,” he said.

“The City also irrigates reserves as soon as practicable after application of products to promote efficient uptake of the fertiliser by plants and grass.

“Vehicle-mounted signage is in place during broadacre scale applications of fertiliser, but it should be noted that fertilisers are not classified as a pesticide and are therefore exempt from the signage and notification requirements of such products.”

He said Department of Health regulations did not require signage to be displayed for up to 72 hours because “this would be deemed to be excessive for fertilisers”.

He also said residents who did not live within 100m of parks could find a list of the following week’s scheduled spraying activities as a public notice on the City’s website each Friday afternoon.

Residents can also sign up to the City’s e-newsletter at www.joondalup.wa.gov.au and select the option to automatically receive new public notices as they are published.