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Free Soil Testing (Postage Payment Required) @ 360 Dust Safe & Macquarie University

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Free Soil Testing (Postage Payment Required) @ 360 Dust Safe & Macquarie University
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kenichiwa on 16/05/2021 - 21:34 360dustanalysis.com (3542 clicks)
Last edited 07/11/2023 - 12:21 by 3 other users

Given some of us may have started veggie patches in our backyards to pass some time during COVID, it’s good to have the peace of mind that the soil we’re growing it on is healthy soil and low on lead and other toxins.

Send your soil samples in (pay the cost of postage), and have your soil tested for free. Results will be sent to your email within 3-5 weeks.

From the website description:

The VegeSafe program began in September of 2013 at Macquarie University’s Open Day event, where we offered free soil metal testing to attendees. Since then, we have analysed over 15,000 soil samples from 3,200 Australian homes.

In order to keep the program running and accessible to all, the VegeSafe program needs your support. We ask that you consider making a small donation to cover the costs of the soil analysis, time involved, and laboratory consumables. Donations of $20 (or more!) can cover the cost for up to five samples submitted for testing. To donate, click here: Support VegeSafe https://secureau.imodules.com/s/1404/afc/event.aspx?sid=1404…

If you have a vegetable patch or are concerned about metal contamination in your backyard, we encourage you to participate. Follow these three easy steps:

Step 1: Complete the necessary VegeSafe
Consent Form https://research.science.mq.edu.au/files/file/VegeSafe/Conse…

Step 2: Collect your soil samples by following our Soil Sampling Instructions https://research.science.mq.edu.au/files/file/VegeSafe/VegeS…

You can also watch our brief sample collection video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vYDWcvbxXg

Step 3: Together with the completed Consent form, send in your soil samples to:

VegeSafe
Professor Mark Taylor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Macquarie University
NSW 2109 Australia

Home & Garden Soil

Related Stores

360 Dust Analysis
360 Dust Analysis
Macquarie University
Macquarie University

closed Comments

  • jefflang007 on 16/05/2021 - 22:00
    +45

    Dirty deeds, done dirt cheap.

    • Bullion78 on 12/11/2023 - 23:15
      +2

      Or as the kiwis would say, Done with Sheep!

    • Pornboy69er on 16/05/2021 - 22:23
      +3

      Seriously?

      • cheaponos on 17/05/2021 - 08:12
        +2

        Of course not. Have a great Monday!

    • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2021 - 23:09
      +10

      not unless you plan on living in a beanstalk

      • Sven Viking on 17/05/2021 - 17:37

        What if you have a wife you want to keep in a pumpkin shell?

        • [Deactivated] on 17/05/2021 - 17:55
          +1

          let's get married and find out

    • crunchyhead on 17/05/2021 - 02:42
      +5

      If you wish to test for soil contamination before deciding to build a family home then it sounds like a really good idea to me.
      But if you are after a geology report then no.

    • eggboi on 17/05/2021 - 09:22
      +4

      Yeah it’s great for that. See customer testimonials from the developers of Mascot Towers and Opal Tower.

      • nobro25 on 12/11/2023 - 22:49

        Not sure about mascot but Opal tower wasn't to do with the ground. But it was due to cutting costs on the building material of the foundation of the tower. Which resulted in defects all the way through the building.

  • Lord Fart Bucket on 16/05/2021 - 22:10
    +6

    Perfect, need to have the right soil for the weed!

  • squidz on 16/05/2021 - 22:14
    +11

    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-melbourne-su…
    literally just read this on the news that a lot of old area has high lead due to the paint used on the external walls

    • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2021 - 22:33
      +2

      Sydney too: One-third of backyard vege patches could have toxic levels of lead

    • [Deactivated] on 17/05/2021 - 02:04
      +7

      Don’t forget the exhaust fumes from all of the leaded petrol.

      • resisting the urge on 18/05/2021 - 14:37

        Free Benzos? Woot.

        But seriously the benzene in the air causes blood cancers. We quickly get used to it in city air, and as much as we might like to offset this by the high it gives (An OzBargainer has to consider every possible form of value), the reality might well be that more people die from pollution than from SARS-Cov-2 each day :-(

  • Sketch3 on 16/05/2021 - 22:25
    +1

    My Covid garden is on the balcony, so I assume all the store bought soil is safe and I shouldn't check right?

    • TimApple on 16/05/2021 - 22:31
      +2

      That's right.

    • Bad Wolf on 16/05/2021 - 22:38
      +3

      Anytime you bring in outside materials you risk contamination.

      toxic compost

      Not lead but other chemicals

      • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2021 - 22:52
        +6

        Some use Green Waste. God knows what people throw in their green bins…

    • askvictor on 17/05/2021 - 07:47

      Probably fine, but a lot of lead contamination in gardens is from exterior paint containing lead (on older buildings). So it could potentially build up.

    • LowRange on 13/11/2023 - 13:04

      Depends, there's soil and there's potting mix and a lot of variety in the ingredients. Some use kerbside green waste and ground up wooden pallets as ingredients. Others have quality organic inputs and teaming with microbes.

  • TightBungholio on 16/05/2021 - 22:26

    Cheers mate good one

  • Food on 16/05/2021 - 22:53
    +9

    Professor Mark Taylor

    Thanks OP, can't let this deal go through to the keeper!

    • b2dz on 16/05/2021 - 23:46
      +2

      This offer valid for only the first 334 samples sent through.

    • snapper on 17/05/2021 - 13:32

      I declare that Macquarie University have opened up a really good deal here

  • Chicken Kyiv on 16/05/2021 - 22:57
    +4

    Mine will be clay and top soil mix with a hint of dog poo

    • squidz on 17/05/2021 - 09:36

      im sure they will appreciate the variety

  • dufflover on 17/05/2021 - 00:38
    +1

    Everyone knows all you need is a bit of plutonium to make things grow real big, real fast …

    • JayParker on 17/05/2021 - 01:11
      +7

      Mmmm… Tomacco! Refreshingly addictive.

  • Blue Cat on 17/05/2021 - 06:53
    -6

    ** puts tinfoil hat on **
    It’s a ploy by government to collect data on which people have their own independant FREEDOM gardens so that they could later tax you or require to get rid of it as it doesn’t meet council’s requirements so you are forced to buy “completely safe” “food” of unknown origin from supermarkets!!!

    • itshammer on 17/05/2021 - 08:30

      Yeah I think they can just do that with Google maps, no need to use soil testing

  • whyisave on 17/05/2021 - 08:14
    +5

    this is also a noteworthy issue

    Hundreds of Victorian home gardeners angry and out of pocket after using toxic compost from major recycler Suez
    - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-14/toxic-garden-compost-…

    Recycler Suez says herbicides in contaminated compost came from Melbourne council waste
    - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-21/suez-herbicides-conta…

  • c64 on 17/05/2021 - 08:19
    +2

    gee, why don' they have a similar cheap service in QLD?? i want to test the soil in my property. i investigated this a while back but it costs $$$$

    unfortunately it is illegal to send soil from QLD to NSW :(

    • [Deactivated] on 29/05/2021 - 13:31

      lol ship to me and i will send it in for you

    • maianbar on 13/05/2024 - 14:10

      It's commonplace to post soil samples interstate to a laboratory. Samples should be double bagged.

  • overpriced on 17/05/2021 - 08:25
    -8

    Looking forward to the outlawing of your garden in future, should it have a record of being contaminated, even after it's fixed. Nothing is free. Nothing…when it comes to taxpayer-funded entities.

    overpriced on 17/05/2021 - 08:25 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
    • itshammer on 17/05/2021 - 08:31
      +2

      When was your last cynical theory right?

  • King Tightarse on 17/05/2021 - 09:27
    +1

    This is a brilliant initiative.
    I remember trying to tell my neighbor that 80 years of lead paint sanding would have to have an effect on his soil and getting nowhere with him.
    I am glad this knowledge is becoming more widely known

  • recycledrevenge on 17/05/2021 - 09:47
    +3

    They also have a service for testing of vacuum dust samples for harmful contaminants which doesn't appear to cost anything besides postage either.

    • Mokr on 12/11/2023 - 23:09
      +1

      The cost is renovating your home

    • [Deactivated] on 17/05/2021 - 15:21
      +4

      yeah nah

    • meatgasm on 17/05/2021 - 18:37

      I hope your garden produce has not LEAD you to that conclusion

    • tbone74 on 21/05/2021 - 14:34

      Damn those lizard people

  • stinger01 on 19/05/2021 - 13:32

    Thanks for sharing!

  • George Washington on 19/05/2021 - 17:28

    how much is postage just out of curiosity?

    • Borg on 19/05/2021 - 19:11

      Don't ask us, Ask you local Post Office.

    • bnh on 26/05/2021 - 11:42
      +1

      $9 give or take from NSW .

    • Embaloo on 13/05/2024 - 00:02

      Don't do what I did and use your own packaging and get charged $18 :( just use the $10ish small auspost prepaid satchel (up to 5kg). You need to send in around 1.5kg worth of soil.

  • AlienC on 30/05/2021 - 18:56
    +1

    I just tested my soil.. tasted bad needs more soy sauce.

  • AlienC on 30/05/2021 - 18:59

    the real question is it cheaper to grow your own food or is it cheaper overall to let the mass producers just do what they are good at?

    I figure with the time invested and money spent on soil, the pots, the plants, the beds, ingredients etc you end up paying 10x more so this is more of just a hobby wholesome good nature thing or maybe something to bond with over with the the grandkids right and not a frugal save money thing or am I missing something here.

    • Borg on 30/05/2021 - 22:16

      Its rarely cheaper but more about knowing you grew it yourself. Herbs are often cheaper as they can be expensive to buy by the bunch and often get wasted. if you only need a handful, having your own allows you to pick only what you need.

      • AlienC on 30/05/2021 - 22:35

        I see.

        Yes when I looked into it for money saving opportunities I could not see how you would save money from having a garden so I assumed people with gardens then only did it as a hobby and bonding opportunity rather than money saving convenience.

        It is nice to know you grew it that is for sure but honestly in my area I am afraid I would have to heavily invest in anti possum, anti bird and anti rodent safety measures which have already been a pain on the house already so I went against it.

        But maybe a nice coriander pot would be fine.

        I can live without most of the other herbs but coriander I find adds a nice touch to most dishes.

        • Borg on 30/05/2021 - 22:46

          Basil is another good one especially Thai Basil which can be hard to get and expensive. A nice Lime tree would be nice as they are expensive to buy individually…….and so on.

          • Koffee on 30/05/2021 - 23:10

            @Borg: As long as your garden isn't infested with pests. I know of a Kaffir Lime Tree that did nothing over five years because it was continually infested, despite the efforts of the owner.

        • LowRange on 13/11/2023 - 13:17

          Yeah I have the same issue, tons of ring tail and brush tail possums, cockatoos, bower birds etc. And my soil has a high rock and clay content.

          So I just have a lot of stuff that does its own thing like many different citrus, banana, mulberry, mango, macadamia, chilli etc. I do nothing and if the animal gods decide I'm worthy of some then bonus lol.

          If I had to put in work it would only be worthwhile with a high value crop ;)

    • Koffee on 30/05/2021 - 23:08

      Relatives as gardeners tell me its cheaper to buy food. Mass production has excelled at providing cheaper food, smaller producers who can't compete tend to get squeezed out.

      Gardening is a hobby.

      • AlienC on 31/05/2021 - 00:40

        This is what I thought.

        So if you know a gardener then they are already well off or they just really like the hobby or both.

    • ihbh on 06/06/2021 - 20:49

      Pros of self gardening:

      • Can be very low cost; I don't buy organic soil; I make it from browns (free leaves from parks in autumn and newspaper) and greens (kitchen scraps, prunings, lawn clippings).; many seeds and cuttings can get free/swap; seeds are dirt cheap (bit over $1 can get you a 1000 rocket seeds!). You can even get free mulch from arborists.

      • If you're whole food plant based (that is, don't eat processed crap), it's a cheap way of getting a lot of greens in your diet.

      • Fruit trees are free and you might feed it by peeing around it or throwing coffee grounds/lawn clippings once in a while.

      • Relaxing, sunshine, fresh air, benefits of micro-organisms in the soil; walk bare feet in warmer months.

      Having said that, I happen to live near a big green grocer and other grocers who sell very cheap veg depending on season/weekly special, so I couldn't compete against them if I had to sell my produce for what they sold, but I take the opportunity to buy cheap fruit and veg to supplement my diet.

    • Mokr on 12/11/2023 - 23:11

      Lemons are a dollar to one fifty.

      Use veg cuttings also if you are poor

      But the health benefits of going outside to tend to a garden

    • AustriaBargain on 13/11/2023 - 16:53

      Owner of my house grows all kinds of exotic herbs and stuff. Or they did anyway, it's all weeds now. They should have paid me to weed it for them while they were away…

    • zombrex on 13/05/2024 - 14:25
      +1

      I used to think it was more expensive. But this year I accidentally grew tomatoes from disposed scraps and got $100's of dollars in value in the tomatoes alone, then I made 8 jars of relish better than anything in the supermarket and worth at least $8 a jar.

  • citybargainhunter on 14/06/2021 - 11:14

    Been meaning to grown my own ginger, the price is ridiculous these days.

  • Embaloo on 12/11/2023 - 23:03

    :o i looked up prices a few months ago and was deterred so havent planted, wow thanks OP!

  • team teri on 12/11/2023 - 23:06
    +1

    Anyone who's done this: what does the report contain, only toxins, or actual soil info too, like pH, nutrient levels, etc?

    • jason fly on 13/11/2023 - 00:12
      +1

      When I did mine 2 years ago it contained the concentration of all heavy metal in the soil. That's it.

    • LowRange on 13/11/2023 - 13:23

      Yeah it's costly to get a full soil panel with all micro/macro nutrient levels, pH etc. So if you are having issues with deficiencies, nute lockout etc this won't help.

  • pch2966 on 12/11/2023 - 23:14
    -2

    The cynic in me tells me this information will be used by government to dictate that soils in backyards are too dangerous to grow your own vegies and you have to purchase only from Coles and Woolworths who have our best interest at heart.

    • CodeExplode on 13/11/2023 - 02:32
      +3

      That sounds more like fantasy to get angry over than anything remotely realistic. You can always grow in pots and garden beds regardless of the property soil.

  • Meowcat on 13/11/2023 - 00:08
    +1

    nothing to serious in there, what do you know about lead?

  • Eeples on 13/11/2023 - 01:24

    Bill and Ben approve of this deal.

    But, but, I think little weed has something to say about it too… ‘Weeeeeeeed!’

    Warning: above comment has 50+ age requirement.

  • jikijiki on 13/11/2023 - 02:18

    Thanks for sharing this!

  • 0806449 on 13/11/2023 - 09:51

    Goes well with that free mushroom growing ebook the other week

  • modsec802 on 12/05/2024 - 21:59
    +3

    Sent my soil samples in on 3 March and it was sent tracked so I know they got it. Included $20 donation as per instructions. Haven’t heard anything nor got any results. Emailed them to ask - no reply. Facebook message simply says:

    Dear xxx

    Many thanks for your message. We are currently experiencing a large amount of soil testing requests and are doing our best to process the samples. We will get back to you shortly.

    For some answers to our most frequently asked questions, please visit https://www.360dustanalysis.com/faq.

    For detailed enquires, please email us via [email protected].

    Best regards,
    DustSafe & VegeSafe Team

    • Embaloo on 12/05/2024 - 23:38
      +1

      Thanks for the update, yeah sent mine in this week, good to know 🤔

      Anyone else got results yet? What findings if so?

    • whyisave on 12/05/2024 - 23:45
      -2

      If the testing shows undesirable levels of <insert chemicals>
      won't that devalue your land value or house price ?

      I'm wondering if this is a way, for insurance companies
      or governments to find out, about land that has issues,
      but done under the offer of "free soil testing".

      • Embaloo on 13/05/2024 - 19:35

        I think the point would be that youd do soil remediation or replacement in the areas that had high contaminants. The results wouldnt have long-lasting implications because soil can be replaced. The value for qualiity food production outweighs any privacy issues imo.

        Yes it's about data collection, but one also hopes that the data is being used for constructive research rather than merely exploitation.

  • PaperplaneXXX on 12/05/2024 - 23:25

    great thanks! Helpful

  • Embaloo on 12/05/2024 - 23:43
    +3

    Postage note - just use the auspost prepaid small satchel, up to 5kg.

    I asked the postage lady for the cheapest way to post my own provided padded bag and she just gave me the weight and dimensions for what I had, ~$18 :S If I had just shoved it into the prepaid satchel it would've been far cheaper. ~$10.90.

    Used my 10% off stamps too, feeling jipped :(

    • whyisave on 13/05/2024 - 03:36

      All AusPost satchels have a maximum weight limit of 5kg.

      So, whatever the item is, … if it fits into the satchel, it's up to 5kg.

      Sendle is sometimes cheaper than AusPost,
      but just depends on where you're sending it.

  • Embaloo on 13/05/2024 - 00:03

    Anyone else got results back? Turnaround time?

    • Embaloo on 22/05/2024 - 08:05

      Update - recieved results via email, great turnaround time (around 10 days).
      Results from 8x heavy metals, and a comparison standard for checking against.
      Glad to get low results for all.

      • modsec802 on 22/05/2024 - 20:11

        Oh really? I sent mine 3rd March and never got results.

        • Embaloo on 23/05/2024 - 17:00

          Check junk mail? The sending email is
          [email protected]

          • modsec802 on 24/05/2024 - 13:09

            @Embaloo: yeah nothing except the original confirmation email

          • modsec802 on 24/05/2024 - 14:36

            @Embaloo: emailed again and finally heard back - they lost the samples despite the package being signed for by the uni and containing $20 - annoying

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