Tower Beach near Sydney Airport closed to swimmers over concerns of PFAS contamination

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A beach bordering the airport's runway in Sydney's south has been closed for swimming and fishing. It comes as an investigation into forever chemicals takes place.

Transcript

00:00Tower Beach has a view of the runway at Sydney Airport, but most people can't see the signs

00:10until they're in the water.

00:12Let's not go in the water, babe.

00:13The beach is closed over fears the water could be contaminated by PFAS Forever chemicals.

00:19They're very useful in all kinds of applications, but they don't break down and they are incredibly

00:25dangerous to both the environment and also to human health.

00:28But the people swimming and fishing aren't aware because the signs are shrouded.

00:34If I saw the signs there's no way I would have let her go in.

00:37Regulars noticed the signs go up two years ago and were told to chase Sydney Airport

00:42to find out why.

00:43If they were a responsible organisation, they would have actually been up front with the

00:47community and said that there is concerns about PFAS in this area and that's why they

00:52recommend not swimming.

00:53It particularly accumulates in the liver, in kidneys, but it's associated with all types

00:59of impacts including cancers and immune system problems.

01:05Businesses and governments aren't jostling to take responsibility.

01:10Preliminary samples taken by Air Services Australia detected traces of Forever chemicals

01:15linked to the historical use of firefighting foam containing PFAS.

01:20The Commonwealth Agency says it will report the findings of its investigation by the middle

01:24of the year.

01:25It will run into the hundreds of millions of dollars and I think that is why just the

01:31term PFAS is like kryptonite.

01:35People are still exposing themselves to those chemicals.

01:37I think it's reprehensible that they haven't done more.

01:40Swimmers here will have to wait to find out what's in the water.

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