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Hot off the Press: PFOS contamination downstream of Amberley RAAF base - 

Via the Oz tonight: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa...Australian

Produce grown around Amberley air base could be contaminated with firefighting chemicals

A Super Hornet from No 1 Squadron practicing for Townsville Airshow at RAAF Base Amberley.

• By RORY CALLINAN and MICHAEL MCKENNA
  
• 20 MINUTES AGO NOVEMBER 14, 2018
  

Produce grown around a Queensland air force base could be contaminated with toxic firefighting chemicals with Defence today confirming tests were needed to gauge the potential risk to consumers and local residents.

A new Defence site investigation report at the Amberley air base, southwest of Brisbane, also confirmed that thousands of tonnes of earth used as fill on the base last year was found to contain levels of per-and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals above “cleanfill criterion”.

It follows a warnings this year that fish in neighbouring waterways were toxic with the chemicals.


The report recommended a Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) and an Ecological Risk Assessment would be undertaken to assess risks raised in the site investigation.

Investigators said complete exposure pathways have been identified for human and ecological receptors and require further assessment through the risk assessments.

“The consumption of home grown produce has been identified as a potentially complete exposure pathway for residents,’’ the report said.

The investigation said the HHRA would examine risk to base personnel, agricultural workers and off base landowners through direct contact with soil and water, the consumption of homegrown produce such as beef, fruit, vegetables and eggs and the consumption of rainwater from water tanks at a limited number of properties.

Further testing of fish in the waterways will also be undertaken.

Another finding related to Defence’s relocation of material from construction sites on the base to a grassed area on the compounds southern end.

Earlier this year using satellite imagery, The Australian revealed how Defence had relocated thousands of tonnes of material from a construction site in a contaminated area of the base to a flat plain at the southern end of the compound, just metres from the banks of Warrill Creek in early 2017.

The Defence site investigation report today confirmed the material had been relocated and revealed that 12 samples from stockpiles had detectable levels of PFOS that were “above the clean fill criterion”.

The report found that surface and groundwater were the two main transport pathways for PFAS off the base and that levels of the chemicals in the Bremer River along the eastern boundary of the base and Warrill Creek on the southern base exceeded water and recreational guidelines.

Defence dumped thousands of tonnes of soil from the base just metres from the creek banks early last year.

“Potential off-base primary sources include landfill, fire stations and extractive industries,’’ said the notation in the report alongside a diagram showing the movement of the chemical from the base.

MTF...P2