Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Katy Perry's album declared a biohazard in Australia due to seed giveaway

The singer's number one album Prism risks damaging delicate ecology

Jess Denham
Tuesday 05 November 2013 14:34 GMT
Comments
Katy Perry singing at the iTunes festival
Katy Perry singing at the iTunes festival (GETTY IMAGES)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Some critics claimed Katy Perry's new album was hazardous to the ears, but Australian officials have dubbed Prism a genuine "bio-security concern".

The Department of Agriculture believes that seed paper [which grows when planted] given away with a deluxe version of the album could pose a risk to the country, with security officers ordered to inspect new copies from overseas.

Currently sitting at the summit of the Australian album chart, the "Roar" singer encouraged her fans to plant the seeds and "spread the light" via her Twitter page, now the most followed in the world after she overtook Justin Bieber at the weekend.

Strict custom laws mean that copies of Prism arriving from abroad could be confiscated by border control, as plant materials from outside the country must be thoroughly assessed before entry.

The Australian release contains Swan River daisy seeds that are considered harmless, but fans are still able to purchase international copies online.

A department spokesperson told news.com.au: "Seeds or plant material of international origin may be a weed not present in Australia or the host of a plant pathogen of bio-security concern.

"Our bio-security officers at international airports, seaports and mail centres assess the risks associated with various items every day and are well-trained in making informed decisions about whether items could be of bio-security concern."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in