The New South Wales EPA is reaching out to the community following the discovery of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the groundwater of Mullumbimby. 

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA), in collaboration with Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), has conducted door-to-door visits at properties located southwest of the town’s fire station. 

This effort is part of a broader initiative to assess and understand groundwater usage in the area.

David Gathercole, EPA Director of Regulatory Operations, has assured residents that there is no immediate health risk as the local properties are connected to town water, which remains safe for consumption. 

The EPA has advised residents to avoid using groundwater, bore water, or surface water for drinking, cooking, or personal hygiene. It also suggests not consuming home-grown food irrigated with groundwater, swallowing groundwater or using it to fill swimming pools.

The sampling initiative aims to enhance understanding of PFAS presence in the area. 

The authority says no PFAS has been detected in local creeks or the Brunswick River, allowing recreational activities such as boating, fishing, canoeing, and swimming to continue safely.

PFAS includes chemicals such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), known for their fire retardant, waterproofing, and stain-resistant properties. These substances have been extensively used in various industrial products and some types of firefighting foams. 

Though PFAS are found in low concentrations in numerous consumer products, including food packaging, non-stick cookware, and textiles, they are being phased out globally due to health and environmental concerns.

Recent reports have raised alarms about the presence of PFAS in drinking water across Australia. 

Experts like Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith from the International Pollutant Elimination Network have linked these chemicals to various health issues, including cancer, kidney and liver disease, and developmental problems in children. 

“The makers of these kinds of chemicals have had to pay out many millions of dollars in the US to people who have been exposed and who have suffered cancer,” Dr Lloyd-Smith has told reporters.

The World Health Organization and the US Environmental Protection Agency have recently adjusted their guidelines, highlighting that no level of PFAS exposure is considered safe. Australian authorities are urged to follow suit in updating their standards to protect public health.