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.