NSW moves to ban ‘toxic’ firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals

By Erin Lyons | News.com.AU | February 28, 2021

Read the full article by Erin Lyons (News.com.AU)

“Toxic firefighting foam containing potentially cancer causing chemicals will be outlawed in NSW except in ‘catastrophic circumstances’.

The NSW government is moving to outlaw foams featuring PFAS chemicals, bringing the state into line with Queensland and South Australia where foams containing the toxic chemical are already banned.

The move will come into force from March this year.

Environment Minister Matt Kean said firefighting foam was the key cause of PFAS contamination in the NSW environment.

‘With concentrations detected at airports, defence sites, emergency service facilities, training facilities, major hazard facilities and their surrounding environments,’ he said.

‘This ban on PFAS firefighting foam will significantly reduce the impact on our environment but still enable our emergency agencies to fight catastrophic fires that can have devastating impacts on life and property…’”

This content provided by the PFAS Project.