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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 805 asked in the Legislative Council on 13 October 2021 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

PFAS CONTAMINATION — STANLEY ROAD WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY

805. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the Minister for Environment:

I refer to the perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance, or PFAS, contamination at the Stanley Road waste facility run by the City of Bunbury and the Shire of Harvey, which has resulted in commercial waste no longer being accepted at the facility.

(1) Have any residential or irrigation bore water supplies been impacted by the Stanley Road plume; and, if so, what are their locations?

(2) What concentrations of PFAS have been detected at the Stanley Road site and within the area of the contaminated plume?

(3) What communications have occurred, and on what dates, with surrounding residential and commercial bore users, and what advice has been provided to them?

(4) What solubility concentration of PFAS has been determined by the state to be the appropriate threshold or limit in surface and groundwater?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. The following answer is provided on behalf of the Minister for Environment.

(1) There is no evidence at present to indicate that any residential or irrigation bores have been impacted by the leachate plume from the Stanley Road facility.

(2) The maximum concentration of perfluorooctanesulfonate, or PFOS, and perfluorohexane sulfonate, or PFHxS, within the landfill site is 0.75 micrograms per litre. The maximum concentration of PFOS and PFHxS detected off site is 0.422 micrograms per litre.

(3) The Bunbury Harvey Regional Council is responsible for the contamination at the Stanley Road landfill and is currently engaging with nearby residents and other stakeholders in the area. Specifically, I understand that a doorknock survey of down-gradient residential properties commenced this week and that information on the safe and appropriate uses of bore water, as recommended by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and the Department of Health, will be provided as part of that engagement process.

(4) Appropriate assessment levels for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances are outlined in the PFAS national environmental management plan 2.0. Broadly, assessment criteria for surface water and groundwater will vary depending on the potential uses of the water.