St Andrews Lutheran College parents concerned about ‘cancer cluster’ investigation by public health as results released
Health experts have released the findings of a public health investigation into an alleged 'cancer cluster' at a Coast school. FIND OUT THE RESULTS.
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HEALTH experts have ruled out the possibility of a “cancer cluster” at a Coast school, concluding there were “no environmental exposures of concern”.
But not all parents at St Andrews Lutheran College are convinced, with one saying there was a groundswell of support for an “independent building biologist to measure and record everything”.
The Tallebudgera school has been the subject of an ongoing probe by the Gold Coast Public Health Unit (PHU) after four students were diagnosed with cancer in the past decade.
The latest investigation is the second to occur at the Tallebudgera campus. The first preliminary probe by the PHU in 2017 found there was no link at the time. A verbal brief was given to the school.
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The Bulletin understands two of the four students identified were diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer that affects about 30 Australians each year.
Findings into the latest PHU investigation, which began in November last year, were released in May.
The report says “there are currently no known environmental causes for the types of cancers identified and no environmental exposures of concern were identified at the school”.
“While these diagnoses are distressing for those involved, they do not constitute a cancer cluster as there is no increase in cases compared with Queensland data, and no environmental risks were identified on the school campus.
It was recommended that this investigation remain at a Type 1 investigation and that no further assessment is required.”
One parent told the Bulletin the people she knew “weren’t interested in that report”.
“We know what we want, we want an independent building biologist to measure and record everything, and to do it when students are there and all normal daily things are being used. We also want surrounding neighbours to be contacted and get their cancer stats.”
In a letter to parents, principal David Bliss said the cancer diagnoses had been distressing to those St Andrews students and their families and friends, and for the college community.
“However, we are relieved to inform St Andrews families that the Gold Coast PHU has found that the diagnoses do not constitute a cancer cluster and that no further assessment is required,” he said.
Mr Bliss said researchers undertook a wide-reaching epidemiological investigation of student records reaching back over the past eight years and this was supplemented by involving an expert advisory group in the analysis of diagnostic notes and the on-site collection of samples and data for analysis.
He said to ensure a rigorous investigation of an extensive range of environmental factors, the college engaged independent experts from Greencap, an industry leader in property and environmental risk.
“It tested soil and water samples from the school for a range of potential contaminants, and assessed the school for other potential hazardous materials. The scientific analysis conducted by Greencap showed no results of concern for students or staff,” he said.
“We are pleased that the investigations have confirmed no known environmental causes for the cancer diagnoses among our students and no environmental exposures of concern identified at the school.”
January 2021
By Luke Mortimer, Kirstin Payne
PARENTS at a Gold Coast school subject to a cancer cluster investigation say they are concerned about a chemical leak of now banned substances less than a two kilometres away.
An investigation was launched in September last year after per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected at Elanora Sewage Treatment Plant.
The plant is located on the same road at St Andrews College, which the Public Health Unit (PHU) is currently investigating an alleged cancer cluster.
Parents at the school who spoke to the Bulletin said they want to be sure PFAS had not been detected in the soil of the school.
“We want to rule out if there is any link at all,” a mother told the Bulletin.
“There are definitely concerns because we know this chemical can leak into the groundwater.
“Our focus is to have all the information, not to just rule things out.”
A spokesman for the Gold Coast City Council said they were working closely with the Queensland Department of Environment and science (DES) and Queensland Health as part of continuing investigations into the source, cause and extent of the PFAS detected at the Elanora Sewage Treatment Plant site.
However the grounds of St Andrews College are not within the area of survey specified by DES.
Gold Coast Health spokesperson said the Public Health Unit will consider all possible hazards that may impact on the St Andrew’s Lutheran College investigation.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads originally found the PFAS while sampling soil as part of the widening of the Pacific Motorway (M1).
Organisations including the Department of Defence and fire services have phased out the use of PFAS because it has been found the manufactured chemicals persist in humans, animals and the environment.
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There is a risk exposure to the chemicals could lead to health issues, but research is ongoing.
The council said its latest information suggested the PFAS at the treatment plant originated from household and business sewage flows.
“Its presence does not appear to be related to any chemical products utilised at or around the STP,” a statement read.
“Further sampling of groundwater has been performed to understand the quality of the groundwater and PFAS presence in residential areas north to the STP.
“This sampling detected low concentrations of PFAS.”
The council said the samples showed the levels detected were “unlikely” to harm residents accessing groundwater using spear pumps “if this water is used appropriately”.
Groundwater in Queensland is protected under environmental law to make sure the integrity of aquatic ecosystems is preserved and it’s suitable for human use, the council stated.
That includes crop irrigation, stock watering, drinking and industry.
The council said it would continue delving into the source, cause and extent of the PFAS detected and it would “respond appropriately”.
“We will continue to keep the community fully informed of the investigation’s progress and liaise directly with customers in adjacent areas as required,” the statement read.
Queensland Health advised as a precaution that groundwater in urban areas was not recommended for domestic purposes including:
– Drinking, cooking.
– Preparing food.
– Irrigating fruit trees, vegetable gardens, edible plants for consumption.
– Watering of pets or stock including poultry where poultry or eggs will be
consumed.
– Showering/bathing.
– Sprinklers for water play, or to fill swimming pools or paddling pools (due to the
possibility of unintentionally drinking the water).
It was advised the groundwater could be used for watering lawns and non-edible plants.
The latest discovery of PFAS in the city comes after Airservices Australia revealed in late 2018 it was investigating PFAS contamination stemming from the historical use of firefighting foams at Gold Coast Airport.
PFAS was found in groundwater to the eastern side of the airport, but authorities said seafood tested in the area was still safe to eat.
‘Alert, not anxious’: Cancer cluster letter revealed
By Emily Toxward
THE principal of a Gold Coast private school at the centre of a potential ‘cancer cluster’ investigation has moved swiftly to quell parents’ fears ahead of the release of a Public Health Unit report.
“We are alert, though not anxious,” said St Andrews Lutheran College principal Davis Bliss, in reference to an investigation being carried out by the Gold Coast Public Health Unit (PHU) into whether multiple cancer cases among students are “above the expected number” and amount to a “cluster”.
“Feedback from the PHU to this point has clearly indicated that the incidence of cancer in students has presented no pattern indicating an environmental source,” he said.
“However, extensive demographic data has been supplied and the report has been requested to ensure due diligence has been exercised.”
Mr Bliss also spoke about the number of staff with cancer “over the years” and said that the matter had been examined by the PHU in parallel with their other examinations.
“There has been no pattern with specific cancer types and while any instance of this insidious disease causes angst and distress, numbers of staff with cancer over the years have been well within the typical statistical range,” he said.
He added that there were no issues with the school’s water, no carcinogenic materials were in buildings and that, as recently as 1992, the college was the site of an eucalypt forest.
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“Similarly, no site on our border was a dump site,” he said.
“In fact, the site is well known for the volume of rock which has been excavated and removed over the years.”
“For instance, to be able to construct our main oval, we excavated and removed hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of rock which was used for road base and sea walls in northern New South Wales.
“Sandy loam soils purchased from local garden supplies businesses are at times used to replenish gardens or top-dress fields.”
As for the safety of the school’s Wi-Fi network, Mr Bliss said in 2019 an independent expert assessed the radiofrequency radiation coverage and saturation across the whole campus and found the site was “many times below the levels recommended in Australian Standards”.
Mr Bliss reassured parents that all cleaning materials were manufactured in Australia and “significantly” exceeded all relevant Australian standards, and that weeds were pulled manually.
“When certain areas need weedicide, we use a product which relies on leaf contact and leaves no residual in soil.”
He said families were offered support by the school, with Mr Bliss acknowledging that “a degree of speculation on this matter in the college and broader community has caused distress for some families”.
Jan 23 – NO RESULT ON CANCER CLUSTER BEFORE SCHOOL RETURNS
AN investigation into an alleged cancer cluster at a Gold Coast school will not be finalised before students return to campus Wednesday.
St Andrews Lutheran College has been the subject of an ongoing probe by the Gold Coast Public Health Unit (PHU) after four students were diagnosed with cancer in the past decade.
The latest investigation is the second to occur at the Tallebudgera campus.
The first preliminary probe by the PHU in 2017 found there was no link at the time.
A verbal brief was given to the school.
The Bulletin understands two of the four students identified were diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer that affects about 30 Australians each year.
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Findings into the PHU investigation, which began in November last year, is expected to be delivered in the next fortnight, a school spokesman said.
“The college will provide an update to parents, staff and students as soon as possible, after it has considered how to implement any actions that are recommended by the PHU,” the spokesman said.
The school confirmed the PHU also considered cancer cases among staff in parallel with their investigation.
“No pattern has been detected to connect these cases and the number of cancer diagnoses is within a typical statistical range.
“After completing their assessment of clinical information in 2017, the PHU verbally briefed the college that no correlation existed between the cancer cases and that there were no plausible environmental factors causing the cases.”
A parent who spoke to the Bulletin anonymously said there was still concern among the school community as the return to school neared.
“No one wants to be the person to speak up about it, but when you speak one-on-one they are worried,” the parent said.
“We want a full report to rule everything out as soon as possible.
“We really just want to know for sure what is safe for our kids, that is our main priority.”
EARLIER: ‘Cancer cluster concern’: Parents push for new report
PARENTS at a Gold Coast private school say they will continue to push for a building biology test to be completed immediately, after a Public Health Unit probe into multiple cancer cases among students was launched.
The Gold Coast PHU is investigating links between four cases of cancer among the student population at St Andrews Lutheran College over a ten year period, amid concerns about whether the cases are “above the expected number” and amount to a cluster.
It is the second investigation of its kind since 2017, prompted by a recent case which came to light in mid 2020, it was revealed by the Bulletin on Friday.
The Bulletin understands one of the 2017 students have since passed due to cancer.
While preliminary and previous investigations have determined no link to environmental factors at the school, parents say they want the independent assessment to run parallel to the PHU investigation.
“This is a matter of exhausting all options. While we trust the Public Health Unit, we also want to see an independent building biology report,” a parent at St Andrews told the Bulletin.
“Whether you believe there is an issue or not, why wouldn’t you follow through with this to put parents at ease.”
“The Parents and Friends (P & F) committee offered to cover the cost of the study in November but some who attend feel it is still not supported.”
The school on Thursday did not confirm if it would be going ahead with the building biology report as requested by the P & F, but said: “The College remains committed to receiving and following the expert advice of an independent review.”
Minutes from the November P & F meeting reveal that the college decided it would first seek the advice from Queensland Health before another study would take place.
“Prematurely embarking on a “broad brush” environmental scan could easily have the effect of committing focus and resources to seeking data from a source of no concern,” the minutes read.
It was instead recommended that a PHU officer attend a future meeting to answer questions from parents.
Concern was also raised in regards to a student with a non-cancerous tumour at the school. It was also revealed a Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR) Assessment had ben conducted on the campus in 2019.
The assessment into radiation – referenced in the P & F meeting – noted testing at 105 sites across the campus, with almost all results in excess of 100 times below the level noted in Australian Standards and associated guidelines.
In a letter to parents – revealed in the Bulletin on Friday – St Andrews principal David Bliss revealed the PHU had investigated cancer cluster concerns in 2017 but they were dismissed. The new PHU probe was underway after a 2020 case came to light.
The 2017 PHU assessment noted “no correlation in cancer types diagnosed among those students”, Mr Bliss wrote, adding: “Specifically as there was no correlation in pathology or risk factors it was considered there were no plausible environmental factors causing the cases at the college at the time.”
Originally published as St Andrews Lutheran College parents concerned about ‘cancer cluster’ investigation by public health as results released
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