A Sydney Water document reveals sewage by-products used in food production contain elevated levels of PFAS.
A document by Sydney Water reveals sewage by-products , known as biosolids used in fertiliser to boost crops, contain elevated levels of PFAS .The state's environment agency is reviewing the guidelines on the risk to human health from certain biosolids, with results expected in early 2025.Sydney sewage by-products contaminated with so-called " forever chemicals ", have been used to help produce food, the ABC can reveal.
PFAS are laboratory-made chemicals that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate and are potentially toxic.They are in industrial products such as firefighting foam and everyday items, like cosmetics and non-stick cookware, and eventually end up in wastewater. The HHERA revealed a type of PFAS, called PFOS, was detected at all 21 wastewater treatment plants in monitoring that occurred in 2018, 2020 and 2021.
The most contaminated biosolids were found at the Richmond, Riverstone and Quakers Hill plants in north-west Sydney. More than half of Sydney Water's biosolids are used for agriculture — spread on about 40 farms across central and southern NSW — while a quarter is used on forestry land and the rest goes into compost products.
In 2023, the EPA commissioned a study into the potential health impacts called the NSW Biosolids Guideline Review. The scenarios examined the possible threat from consuming homegrown produce and did not look at market supply.It convened a panel of experts in microbiology and infectious diseases.
Forever Chemicals Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Firefighting Foam Belubula River Central West Nsw Australian Native Landscapes Sewage By-Products Wastewater Treatment Plants Biosolids Livestock Sydney Water Ecological Risk Assessment For PFAS In Wastewater Friends Of The Earth PFOS PFOA National Environmental Management Plan Anthony Amis NSW Biosolids Guideline Review NSW Health
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Warialda residents offered free bottled water after PFAS found in drinking waterTests conducted by NSW Health found forever chemicals at levels that exceed Australian drinking water guidelines in a bore water supply at Warialda, about 200 kilometres north of Tamworth.
Read more »
SEQ Water Reassures Public Amid PFAS Concerns in Brisbane Drinking WaterSouth East Queensland Water (SEQ Water) has reassured the public that the drinking water is safe despite high levels of PFAS, which are considered cancer-causing. The levels, found in some catchments, are seven times higher than what is considered safe in America, according to the Stop PFAS Action Group.
Read more »
Free bottled water for NSW town after high levels of ‘forever chemicals’ found in bore waterAuthorities investigating after PFAS levels in water supply at Warialda, New England found to exceed guidelines
Read more »
Prevalence of PFAS 'forever chemical' in the environment likely significantly underestimated: studyResearchers of a new study into how a type of PFAS breaks down in the environment say their findings underline the need to better monitor a wider range of 'forever chemicals'.
Read more »
Forever chemicals set to be filtered from water supply in major health boostAn advanced PFAS treatment system has been commissioned at the Cascade Water Filtration Plant (WFP) months after the presence of the cancer-linked forever chemicals were discovered in drinking water.
Read more »
‘This is a great win’: Forever chemicals to be filtered from tap waterA mobile filtration plant will clean up tap water supplies tainted by a plume of cancer-linked “forever chemicals” in the Blue Mountains.
Read more »