Environmental regulation
CONTAMINATION
NEW MANAGEMENT PLAN
The
PFAS
National
Environmental
Management was published in February 2018 and provides a nationally-consistent approach to the environmental regulation of PFAS in Australia. A review of the PFAS NEMP is currently taking place to clarify and expand on the guidance in the NEMP, with written submissions by stakeholders to take place between March and May 2019. Plan ( NEMP ) A number of potentially contaminated sites are currently being investigated by the New South Wales PFAS Taskforce, which includes regulators such as the New South Wales ( NSW ) Environmental Protection Authority ( EPA ), NSW Health, and the Department of Primary Industries. The Taskforce recommends that communities close to where the fire- fighting foams were used in the past do not drink contaminated water sources or eat food that has been exposed to PFAS. The Victorian EPA ( VIC EPA ) has undertaken site investigations at Country Fire Authority’s ( CFA ) historical training sites. Environmental assessments have been conducted at seven of CFA’s training centres, with site rehabilitation and ongoing environmental monitoring regulation by the VIC EPA. CURRENT RENEWS
WHAT ARE THE EMERGING ISSUES?
–– Class actions –– Likely remediation costs –– Challenging regulatory environment
Land contamination by per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances (‘PFAS’ or ‘PFOS’) firefighting foams continues to challenge health and environmental regulators and landowners. PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals contained in household and industrial products that resist heat, stains, grease, and water. PFAS have been used as effective ingredients in fire-fighting foams. An expert health report commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health in March 2018 found the impacts on human health of exposure to PFAS were inconclusive and that further research was recommended.
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