The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a Clean-Up Notice to 3M Australia Pty Ltd (3M Australia) after PFAS chemicals were detected at Brogans Creek Quarry in the State's Central West.
The notice comes after PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – were identified in soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water across a 100-hectare area of the inactive limestone quarry site, which was historically leased by 3M Australia to test PFAS-containing firefighting foams.
While the scale of the onsite contamination is significant, the quarry's remote setting and separation from residential areas means there is limited potential for human exposure.
Director Operations David Gathercole said the notice is the first time the NSW EPA has identified and taken regulatory action against 3M Australia – a subsidiary of the global 3M Company.
"This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," Mr Gathercole said.
"Though this is only the first step in what will likely be a complex and lengthy remediation process, 3M Australia has so far been cooperative – voluntarily offering to conduct investigations to better understand the extent and nature of legacy PFAS contamination at the site.
"This Clean-Up Notice formalises 3M Australia's commitment and allows us to regulate and oversee the clean-up process, ensuring it's completed within appropriate time frames and is fit-for-purpose to achieve a positive outcome for the environment."
In addition to the contamination identified at the quarry, PFAS above the relevant national drinking water guidelines were detected in waters up to 8 kilometres downstream of the site, including in the upper reaches of the Capertee River within the Capertee National Park.
Precautionary advice was provided to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) following detection of PFAS in the river, and NPWS has installed signage in the National Park advising visitors not to use river water for drinking or cooking purposes.
PFAS detections in the river are below the Australian national recreational water guidelines, meaning it remains safe for water-based activities such as swimming, canoeing and boating.
Under the Clean-Up Notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to the EPA outlining how it will assess the PFAS pollution and manage any associated environmental risks.
See the Clean-Up Notice here: ViewPOEONotice.aspx
