The WA Government is committed to identifying and managing the presence of environmental contamination from per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Western Australia.
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson today released the State Government’s update on PFAS, outlining work already underway to identify and address the persistent pollutants.
Mr Dawson is leading the WA Government’s response to this issue, ensuring that government agencies are working collectively, and in partnership with Commonwealth agencies and other States and Territories, to respond to this challenge.
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances are fluorine-containing chemicals which have been used since the 1950s in a range of common household products as well as in firefighting foams.
As a result of widespread use, PFAS have been found to be present in low levels in soils, surface water and groundwater in most urban areas around the world, including in Western Australia.
PFAS can accumulate in the bodies of fish, animals and people and have been shown to be toxic to some fish and animal species. Scientific knowledge of the human effects of PFAS exposure is still evolving.
The State Government, led by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, has developed an across-government approach to manage the presence of PFAS and is working with the Commonwealth Government and other States and Territories to develop a national best practice approach to the substances.
Other State Government agencies involved in the response to PFAS include the Department of Health; Department of Fire and Emergency Services; Water Corporation; Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions; ChemCentre and the Public Transport Authority.
To date, most of the contaminated sites in Western Australia where PFAS have been found are associated with the use of firefighting foams for training purposes or emergency situations.
For a copy of the WA Government’s statement on PFAS, including the current list of confirmed contaminated sites where PFAS have been identified, visit http://www.dwer.wa.gov.au/pfas