Toxin inquiry: Defence Department to take 500 ground samples from Edinburgh RAAF base

THE Defence Department will take an extra 500 ground samples from the Edinburgh RAAF base and neighbouring properties as it tries to better understand the extent of potentially dangerous contamination in the area.

The Defence Department will take an extra 500 ground samples from the Edinburgh RAAF base and neighbouring properties as it tries to better understand the extent of potentially dangerous contamination in the area.

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THE Defence Department will take an extra 500 ground samples from the Edinburgh RAAF base and neighbouring properties as it tries to better understand the extent of potentially dangerous contamination in the area.

The department first began collecting and testing soil, groundwater, surface-water and sediment samples from the base and nearby council-owned and private land in April last year as part of an investigation into perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) contamination in the region.

PFOS and PFOA, which has been detected on the base and in two nearby wetlands, are part of the Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) group of chemicals and have been linked to cancer in people and animals.

The toxins, which do not break down in the environment, had been in firefighting foams used at the Edinburgh RAAF base until 2004.

The Defence Department has already collected 1714 samples, including 1570 on-base samples and 144 off-base samples – during its inquiry.

It has now confirmed it will collect an additional 500 samples as part of its investigation.

“This sampling is being conducted to accurately understand the movement of... PFAS in the environment and to identify possible exposure pathways to PFAS,” a spokesman said.

“The sampling results will continue to build the overall picture of the nature and extent of PFAS on, and in the vicinity of, RAAF Base Edinburgh.”

These samples will again be taken from the base and from nearby properties.

The department is also working on a Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment to “provide a better understanding of exposure risks posed by PFAS to people and the environment as well as assist in the development of a PFAS Management Area Plan that is tailored to the unique conditions of the site”.

The Advertiser revealed in November last year that of the 900 samples the department had collected at the time, 60 per cent had tested positive for PFAS.

The final report into the investigation is expected to be completed late this year.

The department will hold community information sessions in the coming months to provide an update on the inquiry.