The South Australian EPA recently hosted the PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP) stakeholder information session, as part of collaborative approach to managing this emerging issue.
PFAS are chemicals of increasing concern in Australia, and internationally – with particular focus on PFOS and PFOA.
The development of a PFAS NEMP, under the Heads of EPAs Australia and New Zealand (HEPA), is a positive step to ensure consistent guidance and standards are in place to respond to PFAS contamination.
HEPA plays an integral role in bringing together like challenges from across jurisdictions, with the NEMP highlighting the importance of HEPA’s function.
In South Australia the EPA is approaching the management of PFAS in a number of ways, including enhancing our community information and engagement.
The EPA has commenced consultation to ban the use of fire-fighting foams containing PFOS and PFOA.
As part of the consultation on the ban, we have also been working with parties to transition to alternative fire-fighting foams in the short-term which do not contain PFAS or PFOA.