EPA teams up on PFAS found at Launceston Airport

Tasmania's environment regulator is working with Airservices Australia on its national management plan for per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS.

EPA director Wes Ford said the release of a report into PFAS levels at Launceston airport meant further investigation was needed to determine contamination.

"The results detected PFAS in some sediment and groundwater samples at levels that indicate the need for further investigation," Mr Ford said.

However, he clarified that there is not yet any evidence to suggest PFAS was toxic to humans or animals.

"Although PFAS have not been proven to cause specific illnesses in humans, the Australian Government recommends that human exposure be minimised as a precaution," Mr Ford said.

A report released on Thursday confirmed PFAS is present at the Launceston airport, which follows on testing conducted in 2016.

PFAS was found in the groundwater, soil at sediment at firefighting grounds at the airport.

However, it was the levels in the groundwater that had been cause for concern, as the report noted they "exceeded the criteria for human health."

PFAS has been used globally since the 1950s as a chemical that could resist heat, stains grease and water.

It was used in a variety of products, however the product at the centre of the national Airservices Australia investigation is firefighting foam.

Airservices transitioned away from using firefighting foam containing PFAS in 2010.

However, was engaged by the federal government to conduct an inquiry into the levels built up in the locations where it was used.

About 30 sites across the country are in the process of being investigation, with Launceston and Hobart airports the only Tasmanian sites.

Mr Ford said the EPA had been working collaboratively with Airservices and the Launceston airport on the response in Tasmania.

"Community stakeholders have also been kept informed and Airservices continues to liaise directly with local interests," he said.

Meanwhile, the EPA is integrating PFAS management into its ongoing regulation of Level 2 activities and is coordinating the implementation of the Tasmanian action plan.

The action plan includes developing a PFAS inventory to identify past use of chemicals at sites around the state; identifying and investigating any chemical storage sites and managing identified sites according to the risks they present.

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