Wednesday 11 October 2017

Aviation Firefighters seek information on PFAS contamination

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

The Aviation branch of the United Firefighters Union has lodged a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner in an attempt to gather information about PFAS contamination throughout Australia. 

It follows numerous denials by Airservices Australia to release the information requested under Freedom of Information laws. 

The Firefighters Union want to determine the full effects of PFAS foams used at 26 airports across the country, including Williamtown RAAF base. 

It comes after an investigation by ABC's Four Corners program last night exposed "gross failures by the Department of Defence" to deal with the problem. 

In response to the ABC investigation, Member for Paterson, Meryl Swanson, yesterday called on the federal government to send a representative to Williamtown and release a solution to the contamination crisis immediately. 

Firefighters Union Branch Secretary, Henry Lawrence, says the use of PFAS firefighting foams in Australia stopped in 2003, but only after the U.S. manufacturer ceased production.

He believes aviation firefighters and residents living in communities surrounding contaminated sites have the right to know what risks they are being exposed to. 

"Despite having reduced the size of our requests down to asking for a map...that would show the extent of contamination at the airports...still we've been told the information we're seeking is too voluminous; too much time and resources," Mr Lawrence said. 

He also called for health monitoring systems for exposed persons to be provided by the government. 

"It's not that there's no evidence that there are risks to human health with this stuff, but it's not consistent. 

"So it's imperative that a monitoring system is introduced for our members who were exposed as much (or more) than the aviation firefighters in the Department of Defence."