INITIAL soil testing has already taken place at Bathurst Airport in response to concerns over potentially carcinogenic chemicals used in firefighting foam more than 20 years ago.
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Bathurst Regional Council is aware per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were used in firefighting drills at the airport over several decades before their use was abandoned in the 1990s.
The Western Advocate understands councillors have been briefed on potential problems at the airport but so far no adjoining residents have been notified of the testing.
Concerns were raised over the long-term impacts of PFAS after they were detected in high levels in soil on defence force sites, including Williamtown and Townsville, earlier this year.
Testing was ordered at sites where firefighting foam containing PFAS were used, including sites controlled by Airservices Australia.
Bathurst Airport was operated by Airservices Australia until the 1990s when control transferred to council.
Council general manager David Sherley said soil testing had taken place at the airport but he would not say if initial results had come back.
“We’re investigating to see if there are ramifications for our airport,” Mr Sherley said.
“It would be fair to say that initial testing has occurred but I’m not going to say if we have some results yet.
“We are also undertaking testing of water going into the water filtration plant and have found no indication of PFAS in the main water supply.”
Mr Sherley said council was “operating under the precautionary principle” in carrying out the tests.
An external firm has been engaged to do the work.
“No-one really knows what the impacts could be but we are doing some initial testing and investigation,” Mr Sherley said.
“The chemical would go into the soil because these are the chemicals they used in firefighting foam. Whether there has been migration [to neighbouring properties] we just don’t know.
“Any further testing will be done in tandem with the EPA.”
According to the Environment Protection Authority, PFAS are currently rated an “emerging contaminant [meaning] their ecological and/or human health effects are unclear”.
“The EPA is investigating to better understand the extent of PFAS use and contamination in NSW,” the EPA website states.
“This will enable the EPA to be better prepared to respond if any health and environmental impacts become known.”