A national call for action on PFAS contamination

The Senate’s PFAS inquiry is making waves – will it be enough to clean our waters? Led by Senator Lidia Thorpe, the inquiry is highlighting the cultural, ecological, and health impacts of these ‘forever chemicals.’

Australians take pride in a clean environment, but a silent crisis is emerging. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have contaminated water, soil, and food, posing health risks. The Senate Select Committee inquiry led by Senator Lidia Thorpe aims to uncover the crisis’s extent and promote meaningful change.

Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurrung woman, has deep cultural and environmental ties to water protection. She describes water as life, sustaining First Nations cultures in every way – physically, emotionally, and spiritually – as the veins that run through Country.

“Particularly for the matriarchs in our society, our story is in the water,” Thorpe said. “It is the veins that run through planet Earth, through our country, and like the veins in the mother’s body. If you disrupt or hurt those veins, the body will get sick. That’s why we must protect our water as much as possible for future generations.”

Recognising the connections to First Nations communities’ cultural practices, storytelling, and identity adds urgency to the Senate inquiry, which Thorpe said should ensure solutions that extend beyond technical remediation to include justice for affected communities.

The scope of the crisis

PFAS chemicals have been detected throughout Australia, polluting groundwater, rivers, and air. The contamination originates from decades of industrial use, especially in firefighting foams employed by the Department of Defence at military bases. Once released, these chemicals persist indefinitely, infiltrating the food chain and posing long-term health risks.

One of the most alarming cases recorded is at Wreck Bay, an Aboriginal community near Jervis Bay in New South Wales. Residents have faced generations of exposure to PFAS due to contamination from firefighting foams used at nearby Defence sites. These foams have leached into local water sources, adversely affecting the community’s health and wellbeing.

Families in Wreck Bay have reported higher-than-normal rates of cancer and other illnesses according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Scientific studies have linked these conditions to prolonged PFAS exposure. Despite these evident risks, residents have struggled to access government-funded testing and remediation efforts, leaving them in a state of uncertainty and distress.

Thorpe described it as a cancer cluster where families have suffered from illnesses believed to be associated with PFAS contamination.

“We can’t pretend that it’s not hurting Country and it’s not hurting people, because it is,” she said. “The community has fought for recognition and action, but progress has been slow, leaving many residents frustrated and fearful for their health.”

Slow to act

The Department of Defence and the Department of Infrastructure have appeared before the committee, outlining their efforts to remediate PFAS-contaminated sites. However, Thorpe was critical of the slow progress.

“They have started remediation in Launceston,” she said, “but that is the only airport in the country where this is happening. We need this remediation everywhere.”

Thorpe said many affected communities have seen little tangible progress in addressing contamination. She also raised concerns about the lack of data collection on PFAS exposure, which she believes has been used as a delay tactic.

“From the 2018 Senate inquiry, blood tests were available for communities in Katherine and Oakey, but never for the Wreck Bay community,” she said. “There is no regular testing of water in this country, particularly our drinking water, for PFAS.

“We need regular water and blood testing, and more action on PFAS in airports.”

She said that without robust data, it isn’t easy to hold corporations and government bodies accountable or to implement policies that effectively mitigate the health and environmental impacts of PFAS.

Communities impacted by PFAS contamination have long called for greater transparency and government intervention. Thorpe said many feel abandoned, left to cope with the health and financial repercussions of exposure without sufficient support. The inquiry’s findings will determine whether the government acts or postpones necessary steps.

“People deserve to know what’s in their water,” Thorpe said. “We need honesty, accountability, and urgent action to ensure this doesn’t continue for another generation.”

Scientific warnings and a call for regulation

Health and environmental experts have also testified before the committee, warning that PFAS will continue accumulating in Australian waterways unless urgent intervention is taken.

Despite mounting evidence of harm, Australia continues to import PFAS-containing materials in packaging, textiles, and cosmetics. Experts argued that banning PFAS at the source is the only effective way to curb the crisis.

“The biggest message from those experts was: stop it at the source,” Thorpe said.

Waste management has also emerged as a key concern. Even if PFAS is removed from drinking water, the filters used to capture the chemicals must be disposed of responsibly.

“At the end of the day, those water filters still need to go somewhere,” Thorpe said. “There seems to be no strategy for dealing with the waste.”

Without a national plan for the safe disposal of PFAS-contaminated materials, Australia risks transferring the problem from one area to another. The scientific community has called on the government to implement stricter PFAS regulations, including limits on drinking water concentrations.

A recent study at the University of New South Wales found that Australia’s drinking water limits on specific PFAS chemicals were significantly higher than those in the United States and Europe, in some cases by multiple orders of magnitude.

“We know that water PFAS contamination levels allowed in Australia are 400 times higher than those in the US,” Thorpe said. “That should alarm everyone.”

The path forward

The Senate inquiry is ongoing, and more hearings are planned, including a visit to Launceston in March to examine remediation efforts. This hearing had appearances from Launceston Airport, TasWater, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, the Minderoo Foundation, and Airservices Australia.

Thorpe said the ability of affected individuals to contribute directly to the inquiry ensures that real stories are heard and considered in shaping future policies.

“If you need assistance putting in a submission, we have that available,” she said. “It’s not just about writing skills – you can send in a video or a voice submission.”

She hopes that the committee’s recommendations will lead to meaningful government action.

“Our recommendations are only as good as what happens after that,” she said. “We could come up with 100 recommendations, but at the end of the day, it’s what the government will implement.”

The stakes are high. PFAS contamination is linked to health issues such as cancer, immune dysfunction, and developmental disorders. Thorpe said affected communities want action and accountability, not just reports. If Australia does nothing, future generations will face the consequences.

“This isn’t just about policy or science – it’s about people’s lives, health, and future,” she said. “We cannot afford to keep pushing this issue aside while communities suffer. The time to act is now.”