National PFAS Coalition Launched

BY JARROD MELMETH

A national coalition has been launched today to advocate on behalf of communities in Australia such as Williamtown dealing with the toxic fallout of per-and-poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS).

The Coalition Against PFAS (CAP) is a joint coalition of residents involved in class action lawsuits at Williamtown, Oakey and Katherine and will work to inform and advocate for impacted communities across Australia by highlighting the latest international news and research.

Coalition president and Williamtown resident Lindsay Clout said he hopes the coalition will provide support for those who are suffering.

"We have had contact with people from East Gippsland in Victoria; We have had contact with people from Western Australia; I have spoken with people from Bundaberg who just recently had this chemical discovered in their water supply.

"We want to get the information out there so these people do not have to go through the three or four years that we have gone through and Oakey has gone through in gathering all of this information so that we can understand the problem that we face," Mr Clout said.

The coalition is in talks with similar grassroots organisations in the United States who are experiencing similar circumstances which Mr Clout hopes will result in an international co-operation.

"People are recognising quite quickly through social media and the electronic media, who is out there and what we are doing. We have had contact from a couple of sources in the United States who are doing the same thing that we are doing.

“Our initial desire was to combine our resources to have a national front in Australia on this issue and what is unfolding today is that it is turning into an international front," Mr Clout said.

Signage erected by Williamtown residents. 

Buybacks for Red Zone residents ruled out ahead of federal budget

BY JARROD MELMETH

Tuesday night's federal budget may include a $73 million package to connect PFAS affected communities, including those in Williamtown, to clean drinking water, but any chance of the government buying back those properties has been ruled out.

The funding was announced within hours of the release of a report by the government's expert health panel which concluded that there is "limited to no evidence" linking human disease to higher exposure.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson has accused the government of reannouncing money which has already been allocated.

"Of that $73 million, $55.2 million has already been spent. I do not think the Turnbull government should be lauded for simply agreeing to stop contaminating peoples water and provide them with clean drinking water, which is a basic human right anyhow. There is so much more that really needs to be done here.

"I actually think it is really more about politicking. They have dropped a 400-page report via a difficult to find website on budget eve when people are very busy looking at budget items and working on what is going to be in and out of the budget. They have tried to really bring it in under the budget cloud," Ms Swanson said.

Williamtown resident Lindsay Clout said a buyback was something residents were really hoping for.

"They were hoping for some glimmer of hope that they would be able to be moved out, some level of compensation. The problem that we have got is the contamination stigma has destroyed house prices and there are hundreds of people that want to move away from this and they cannot get out because they cannot sell their properties. They are trapped," Mr Clout said.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson with Red Zone affected residents.

"It's Wicked What They've Done to Us": Kim-Leeanne King on the Government's Non-Response to the Williamtown Contamination

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's the town residents want to escape from, but they simply can't.

The PFAS contamination of Williamtown, or the red zone, has been plaguing the residents since the scandal was revealed in September 2015.

Kim-Leeanne King is just one of the many who lives along Cabbage Tree Road, one of the areas within the primary contaminated zones from PFAS. It's also the same road of a possible "cancer cluster" after Fairfax revealed at least 24 people who had lived on the road over the past 15 years had been diagnosed with cancer.

The cancer cluster reports were revealed earlier this year and labelled as being "too large to be coincidental" by One Nation Senator Brian Burston.

Kim-Leeanne has seen the effects of cancer firsthand after her father died of bowel cancer in 2005.

"Thyroid and colon cancer are known factors and the fact that my father was eating the vegetables that were grown here, I think that only adds to the worry that the rest of us have now, it's not if we get cancer but when we get it," said Kim-Leeanne.


The 47-year-old mother has always thought something wasn't quite right; her daughter suffers from various allergies and she herself has had a medical scare of her own this year.

The boundary of her property backs onto the heavily contaminated Lake Cochrane, adding to her suspicions about the chemical making her family, and her livestock, sick.

"I am resourceful, so I have done my own research on these chemicals and certainly what we are being told is different to what's happening overseas so we are doing everything that we possibly can. We no longer eat our own vegetables which we used to water with bore water."

Not eating anything grown on properties in Williamtown is one of the precautions laid out in guidelines published by both the Department of Defence and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the precautions though vary. Defence says it's alright to eat some things grown in certain areas, whereas the EPA urge residents not to eat anything grown anywhere within the red zone.

"Don't come in contact with surface water, don't do this, don't do that. I mean they're telling us all there are no known health effects, you're pretty safe, you're this you're that. But if they're telling us all of this why are they putting these precautions out there if they're not worried themselves?"

When it comes to taking precautions, Kim-Leeanne says they don't even let their grandson go outside and play for fear of what the chemicals in the ground may do to his health.

"He can't even go out in the yard and play. How sad is that? And this is Australia. And all the politicians are worried about in Canberra is their dual citizenship and saving their own political lives. It's a disgrace. A national disgrace."

Now Kim-Leeanne is just begging for an escape.

"That's the saddest thing. there's no way out. And then how do you replace what you've spent a lifetime building and doing... and I don't know... even just the sentimental value of things. It's wicked what they've done to us."

Cabbage Tree Road.

"We're being abandoned": Williamtown Contamination Saga Sees No End

BY JESSICA ROUSE

"We're being abandoned."

It's how residents living in the Williamtown red zone feel after the Department of Defence came to give them yet another map of the contaminated area and revised guidelines on how to deal with it.

More than 250 residents packed into the Murrook Cultural Centre last night to see an updated Human Health Risk Assessment from Defence including a new map with four colour-coded risk zones, which appears different to the one issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) just two weeks ago.

The risk assessment aimed to assess the potential human health risks of exposure to PFAS impacted soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, seafood, and others.

The four risk zones carry varying levels of contamination. Defence also issued its own set of precautionary guidelines for each of the zones. In the risk assessment, Defence advises residents to follow the precautions to "minimise their exposure to PFAS pending further information becoming available."

But it's feeling like too little too late for residents who are begging for an escape.

Lindsay Clout, the President of the Fullerton Cove Residents Action group believes the meeting last night was a joke.

"Make no mistake what happened last night was the Department of Defence walking away from the responsibility of this contamination. They spent two hours last night telling us that we, the community, now have to manage the impacts of this contamination."

"It's more of the same, which is nothing. I mean, the Department of Defence must have the biggest mirror in the country because pretty well every question that was asked of them last night their response was 'we will look into it'," said Lindsay.

Department of Defence representatives admitted no human blood tests were included in the data they collected to create their map of the contamination zone, adding to the frustration of residents.

"[Port Stephens MP] Kate Washington asked the question 'was there any blood testing results included in the construction of the map' and the answer was no. And she asked 'how is it a human health risk assessment can be presented without human health results?' And the disturbing thing is that defence didn't even understand the question," said Lindsay.

Lindsay couldn't believe the incompetence he witnessed at last night's meeting particularly when it came to Defence's list of guidelines for residents.

"But the paradox of the whole issue is, Defence keep putting out this statement that there are no known health impacts from the chemical, yet they're telling us don't eat your eggs, don't grow your vegetables in the contaminated area, don't drink the bore water, you have to be cautious with this, you have to be cautious with that,"

"And then they tell us well it shouldn't really matter because there are no known health impacts from it. It's just out of control."

EPA v. Department of Defence

In early November, the red zone was expanded to include another 250 properties in Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash.

The EPA's map and report were based on the same data as Defence's map but they instead divide the area up into three zones. In one zone, the risk is high and strict restrictions are in place and in the two other zones contamination is either confirmed or potentially present and those have less strict precautions.

"The Defence risk assessment provides people with some background to the science and the data but we recommend that people focus on the EPA map which provides them with all of the information that they need to follow the precautions and keep themselves safe on their properties," said Northern Region Director of the EPA Adam Gilligan.

Environment Protection Authority map fo the contaminated zone.

Department of Defence map of the contaminated red zone.

There are differing precautions listed between Defence and the EPA. For instance according to Defence eating home-grown fruit and vegetables is acceptable in some areas, but according to the EPA guidelines, all residents are advised not to eat anything grown on their properties.

Adam Gilligan said they understand the horrible time residents are having and want to help holding numerous drop-in sessions, and are happy to meet with residents one-on-one.

He adds now it's also time to move into an ongoing management phase at the site because the contamination isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"So we are continuing to work with Defence to get more done to stop contamination leaving the base first and foremost and also do ongoing monitoring to make sure that we continue to assess the levels of contamination in the environment."

The EPA was at two information sessions being held today in Williamtown, and will be at Salt Ash Primary School tomorrow from 3:30pm until 6pm for any residents who couldn't go along today.

The EPA's findings and advice can be found here.

The summary of the Department of Defence's risk assessment can be found here.

In the end, Lindsay said it's all infuriated him even further and he doesn't know who to believe.

"Well, in my opinion, none of it. The only person I believe has any credibility on this issue at all is Professor Mary O'Kane, NSW Chief Scientist but they don't seem to be listening to her."

 "I just despair at where we're going, we're being abandoned, and now we're being given the responsibility to deal with contamination."

Williamtown PFAS Contamination Drop-In Sessions

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Residents living in and around the Williamtown contaimination red zone have the opportunity to go along to information sessions tonight and tomorrow to hear from the Department of Defence.

The information sessions will focus on the findings of the 2017 Environmental Site Assessment and the 2017 Off-Site Human Health Risk Assessment.

The latest report found the maitenance zone, or red zone, now extends to include another 250 properties.

The details for the events are:

Community information presentation: Tuesday 5 December 2017
                                                              at the Murrook Cultural Centre, 2163 Nelson Bay Road,
                                                              Williamtown, 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Community walk-in sessions: Wednesday 6 December 2017
                                                  at the Murrook Cultural Centre, 2163 Nelson Bay Road,
                                                 Williamtown,
                                                 Morning session: 9:00am - 12:00pm
                                                 Afternoon session: 2:00pm - 6:00pm

At the walk-in sessions local residents and businesses will be able to ask questions, one-on-one with Defence and other government department agencies on the report findings.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington said the information sessions will be quite saddening for many of the residents.

"It's going to be tough news for residents because I think it is going to really be speaking to the potential poor health outcomes that flowed from this contamination. Whilst it won't specifically be about health, it will be about how the contaminants travels to humans."

There are more sessionss planned in the near future, but Kate Washington fears they may not deliver what the community wants.

"We're hearing from defence today that the community meetings coming up are about the conclusion of their assessment of the human health. Now for me that's a little bit concerning. It suggest that there may not be any future testing done, it suggests that this might be the end of the road for Defence's purposes in terms of determinin goutcomes for humans."

"Toxic Dysfunction" of Government Eroding Williamtown Solution

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson believes the "toxic dysfunction" of the State and Federal Governments has derailed their ability to find a solution for Williamtown.

The MP flew to Canberra yesterday to meet with Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne and Head of the PFAS Taskforce Senator James McGrath to demand answers.

But she says she came away disappointed with no answers, only being told that a number of options were being considered.

Senator Payne stated during the meeting that "defence stands ready to do whatever is asked of it from the Government".

Senator James McGrath and Senator Marise Payne at
Williamtown in May this year.

"I think it really speaks to the bigger problem that we have a Prime Minister who is incapable of making a decision and is battling to keep his job and batting off people that want his job. The buck stops in Cabinet, in Cabinet is where the big decisions are made," said Meryl Swanson.

Meryl Swanson said she came away with one startling revelation - Defence wasn't asked to come to Williamtown for the latest Williamtown Community Reference Group briefing where the Environmental Protection Authority informed residents the 'management area' or Red Zone had been expanded to include another 250 properties.

She says to get anywhere, everyone needs to work together, not pit everyone against each other.

"The last thing we want is the NSW Government and the NSW agencies like the EPA and Health, pitting Defence against the community. We need to be working together on this."

Meryl Swanson says a little bit of fault lies with all of the parties involved and she won't stop fighting for Williamtown until the problem is solved.

"The next step for me is to get back to Canberra on Sunday and go into next week continuing to push hard. I'm going to again contact the Prime Minister and say what is going on here and I'm going to continue to fight for the people of Williamtown like I have been."

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson at Williamtown in May this year.

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." 

Hemp Breakthrough For Williamtown Contamination Crisis

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

The humble hemp seed could hold the key to solving the Williamtown contamination crisis.

Researchers at the University of Newcastle say they've discovered a breakthrough which could resolve the ongoing situation at Williamtown using hemp seeds to remove the firefighting chemicals responsible for the contamination from the water.

Dr Brett Turner from the University's Centre Of Excellence for Geotechnical Science and Engineering made the discovery after being intrigued by news stories about residents of Williamtown having their blood tested for PFOS and PFOA contaminants.

"There's at least one protein in the human blood responsible for transporting around the body and this particular protein seems to have fairly strong analogies with the protein in hemp so we acquired some to test on the ground water from Williamtown and we were absolutely astounded at the results," said Dr Brett.

The Centre has received a grant of $600,000 from the state government to investigate the ability to treat large volumes of contaminated water. The university has also contributed an extra $220,000.

"So the money is to drive the research forward a little bit more and hopefully get to a point where we can have a small scale filter system, that we can go out hopefully to Lake Cochran at Williamtown and do some larger volumetric testing," said Dr Brett.

Image Newcastle Herald

The researchers also want to look into how fast the reaction occurs on the larger scale, what the optimum dose is needed to remove the contaminants and find a solution to destroying the contaminants once they're removed from the water.

Dr Turner says although the research is in its early stages, he is very confident this could be the start of something big.

"We're very confident and very hopeful. The initial results have removed the PFOA levels to below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines in one part and we've had very very good removal, over 99.2 per cent removal of the PFOS as well,"

"The initial results were absolutely astounding and we hope to move forward so we can do something productive and useful for the people n the red zone and other people that are affected around the world."