The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts continues to monitor and manage per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on Norfolk Island related to the historical use of firefighting foam at the airport.
Environmental consultants Senversa returned to island in November 2025 for the fourth round of annual monitoring, collecting samples from 54 sources, including water, soil, sediment and biota.
Overall, the 2025 monitoring showed that PFAS concentrations were generally within the historical range.
The monitoring report is now publicly available on the department's website.
Senversa was first commissioned by the Australian Government to complete a comprehensive PFAS environmental investigation after elevated levels of PFAS were detected within the Mission Creek catchment directly below the aviation fire services training drill ground, adjacent to Norfolk Island International Airport in December 2019. All reports are publicly available on the departmental website.
The department is committed to continuing to work closely with Norfolk Island Regional Council and the community on response actions to manage PFAS risk, which includes the removal of legacy firefighting foam from on island.
