Toxic foams linked to contamination at three ACT sites are still being carried on territory fire trucks more than 13 years after they were officially phased out.
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A small number of nine litre extinguishers kept by ACT Fire and Rescue are still filled with aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) containing potentially-harmful polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), internal government briefings reveal.
An ACT government spokesman said all extinguishers containing film-forming foams had been phased out and replaced in early 2017.
But Emergency Services Commissioner Dominic Lane said a small number of PFAS extinguishers still existed within ACT Fire and Rescue, and a far greater number likely existed in petrol stations and apartments throughout the territory.
“They are not only on fire trucks, they are at petrol stations and in homes. Those nine litre cannisters still exist,” he said.
“Within ACT Fire and Rescue we have come up with a solution [but] I don’t think they have all been removed.
“[It] took longer than we anticipated, but they are being progressively removed.”
In December 2017 officials wrote to Environment Minister Mick Gentleman to update him on the use of PFAS foams in the ACT.
“The phasing out of AFFF foam concentrate by ACT Fire and Rescue commenced in September 2004 and it was completely withdrawn from service in April 2005 and replaced with fluorine-free concentrate,” officials wrote.
“ACT Fire and Rescue still carry nine litre AFFF fire extinguishers on fire fighting vehicles, with these currently being replaced with fluorine-free alternatives.”
Mr Lane said it made sense to drop PFAS foams from the fire service.
There was a weaker case for immediately withdrawing them from places such as petrol stations where they could prevent catastrophic fires and there was not yet a better alternative, Mr Lane added.
“The number of AFFF nine litre cannisters we have [in ACT Fire and Rescue] is probably quite minimal, particularly compared to others that could be left in in industrial areas and petrol stations,” he said.
“We will get to the stage where we phase out over the community space, but we would need more advice.”
On Monday it was revealed that PFAS contamination had been confirmed at the old Charnwood fire station on Lhotsky Street, before the ACT government re-zoned the land and sold it to become a child care centre.
Contamination from PFAS chemicals has also been confirmed at the former Belconnen fire station on Lathlain Street, as well as at Canberra Airport.
Mr Lane said the old Belconnen site had been tested for PFAS levels, but the ACT government so far had no information on the implications of those tests.
He said the ACT government would release this advice publicly when it was received.
“Yes, we will release it publicly,” he said.
“There is no reason why we wouldn’t do that. I can see a day when we will, but we don’t want to rush into that.”
An ACT government spokesman has previously said a detailed sampling program to characterise PFAS sources and movements would begin in November.
“The sampling plan will involve existing water monitoring sites as well as ACT landfill, fuel storage and sewage treatment plant sites as these are potential sources of PFAS from household, commercial and industrial activities.”
Officials from the environment directorate said no detectable impacts from the contamination had been identified during preliminary tests of ACT waterways.
“No off-site impacts have been reported by the airport or are evident from the Belconnen site, and groundwater in both areas is not utilised for drinking or agricultural purposes,” a government briefing read.
