Toxic secret in Aussie backyards
Australians are increasingly growing food in their backyards but a new study has found dangerous levels of contamination could be exposing children to risk.
Home & Decorating
by James Hall
5th May 2021 5:46 PM
An expansive survey of Australian soil samples has found more than one-third of vegetable gardens across the nation could produce food containing dangerous levels of lead.
The study, led by Macquarie University and published in the journal Environment International, tested samples from more than 3600 Australian homes, including 1530 from Sydney.
It found 35 per cent of vegetable gardens across the country had "levels of lead that were above the Australian guidelines for homes with gardens that produce food or are in contact with the soil", according to study co-writer Cynthia Isley.