What is PFAS?
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are fluorine-containing chemicals which have been used since the 1950’s for the manufacture of products that resist heat, oil and water.
In more recent times there has been concern about potential PFAS contamination of groundwater. This has primarily focused on sites where firefighting foams have been used, including at defence and airport sites, which is not the case at the Facility.
As the awareness of the presence of these substances is recent, testing for them at, and in the vicinity, of the Stanley Road facility started in 2019. The levels of PFAS identified are only slightly above laboratory levels of reporting and are considerably lower than those identified at defence and airport sites.
Research into potential health effects of PFAS is ongoing around the world. To date there is not enough information available to definitively say what, if any, health effects may be caused by exposure to PFAS.
More information about PFAS is available from: