Processed materials include mulch, manure, and quarry products (e.g. gravel, fines, sand and crusher dust).
The Biosecurity Regulation 2016 details a series of steps you must follow when working with processed materials originating from within Queensland’s fire ant biosecurity zones:
How to be compliant
Disturbance
Disturbance is the most important factor for determining compliance and effective management of processed materials.
Processed materials that are to be removed from the property should be disturbed at least every 21 days and 24 hours prior to moving the material to another location. Disturbing soil means undertaking any one, or a combination of the following activities:
- vigorously turning
- crushing
- washing
- screening.
This activity must be undertaken on the entire stockpile.
Processed materials training video
Quarry materials, mulch, animal manure, and processed soils are commonly used in construction, parks, and gardens, but if you're not careful, these materials can harbour and spread fire ants.
Processed soils can include compost, under turf, and other soil blends. That’s why it’s important for anyone working with or purchasing material from within the fire ant biosecurity zones to carefully manage them. The Biosecurity Regulation 2016 outlines the required storage and disturbance procedures you must follow if working with these materials.
If the materials will be on-site for more than 24 hours before moving off-site, there are a few ways you can store them. If the material is stored on the ground, then it must be both covered and placed on a fire ant-resistant surface such as solid bitumen, a concrete slab, or a barrier that cannot be penetrated by fire ants, like 200-micron plastic sheeting.
You also have the option to store material off the ground, as long as it is covered to prevent fire ant infestation. Quarry materials, mulch, animal manure, and processed soils can also be stored on compacted ground that has been treated with an appropriate chemical before the material is placed. You shouldn’t store any material directly on sand, even if it is compacted and treated.
Be aware that any on-ground storage requires a chemical treatment to be applied in a 30-centimetre strip around the perimeter of the stockpile. All chemical barriers and perimeter treatments must use a liquid bifenthrin insecticide, which must be used as outlined in the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority permit, the safety data sheet, and the product label.
Another accepted mitigation under the Biosecurity Regulation is rigorously disturbing quarry materials, mulch, animal manure, and processed soils at least every 21 days and at least 24 hours before movement to another place. This helps reduce the spread risk and the chance of fire ants establishing nests in stockpiles of materials. There are a few options: you can turn it, screen it, crush it, or chip it.
If you're opting to turn the product, you must rigorously turn all material leaving the site. There is no need to disturb the material if it is being transported off-site within 24 hours of arriving at your property.
In summary, before moving quarry materials, mulch, animal manure, and processed soils from a property within the fire ant biosecurity zones, you must move the material off-site within 24 hours of receiving it or follow the storage, treatment, and disturbance methods outlined in the Biosecurity Regulation and this video. Alternatively, you should take the material to a nearby waste facility.
If you are unable to fulfil these requirements, it may not be safe for you to move your material. Talk to us about your options.
If you are buying quarry materials, mulch, animal manure, or processed soils, it is also important to ask the seller if the material has been produced and stored in accordance with the regulation. You don’t want to be responsible for bringing this pest into your neighbourhood.
Make sure you keep records of the actions taken. These will help prove you are compliant with the regulation. Records must be kept for at least two years, and failure to do so could result in penalties.
Storage
Storing processed materials appropriately, such as mulch, manure, and quarry products, is a simple measure to further reduce the risk of fire ant infestation in processed materials.
If materials are to remain on the property for more than 24 hours, and you are unable to disturb the materials, you must use the following storage options:
- off-ground and covered with an effective barrier that prevents alates (flying fire ant queens) from settling in the materials
- on-ground:
- covered with an effective barrier that prevents alates from settling in the materials, and
- stored on a fire ant-resistant surface surrounded by a 30cm wide perimeter treatment using an approved chemical product.
The role of the perimeter treatment and fire ant-resistant surface is to prevent fire ant queens from crawling into the processed materials.
Keep a written record of the steps you take to ensure the material is produced, processed and stored correctly. Include details about chemical treatments and/or disturbance activities. Keep these records for a minimum of 2 years.
You should also check your property monthly for fire ants, paying special attention to organic material storage areas. This can be done in conjunction with existing property maintenance.
For further information, complete our online fire ant training or contact our compliance team on 132 ANT (13 22 68).
Storing off-ground
Processed materials can be stored off-ground on a trailer and either covered with a tarp or placed inside a shed.
Chemical treatment is not required if storing processed materials off-ground.
Storing materials on pallets is not considered off-ground storage. Material can easily fall through gaps and form a 'bridge', potentially allowing fire ants to infest the materials. If you want to use pallets, you may do so, but you must follow the recommendations for on-ground storage.
Storing on-ground
Processed materials can be stored on a fire ant resistant surface. Some examples of fire ant resistant surfaces include:
- concrete or bitumen (with no cracks)
- a barrier that fire ants cannot penetrate (e.g. 200 micron unperforated continuous plastic sheeting)
- compacted ground (other than sand) that has been treated with an appropriate chemical product before materials are stored.
You must apply a chemical treatment correctly if using on-ground storage. If the material will be stored:
- on a fire ant-resistant surface (as above), apply a 30cm wide perimeter around the storage area
- on compacted ground, the entire ground surface must be treated.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved the use of bifenthrin for the protection of storage areas (PER14317). This permit expires on 28 February 2029.
Insecticides must be used under the conditions of the APVMA permit, the safety data sheet (SDS) and in conjunction with the product's label.
Alternatively, you can vigorously disturb any stockpiles every 21 days and 24 hours prior to moving the material to another location. Activities to disturb mulch, manure or processed materials include any combination of crushing, screening, hoisting or washing.
Moving processed materials
You can move mulch, manure, and quarry products within, across, or outside the fire ant biosecurity zones if you do any of the following:
- transport material from zone 1 to a waste facility in zone 1 or 2
- transport material from zone 2 directly to a waste facility in zone 2 only
- move the material within 24 hours of it arriving at the original place
- follow the material storing steps outlined above.
You can also use our material movement advice tool to find out what rules apply to you and your situation.
If cannot comply with these conditions then you must not move the material unless you are granted a biosecurity instrument permit.