The NSW environmental watchdog has ordered the fresh testing of a popular beach potentially contaminated by cancer-causing “forever chemicals” after signs failed to alert swimmers and fishermen of the danger. Botany Bay’s Tower Beach – known as Commonwealth Beach and located next to Sydney Airport, could have been contaminated with cancer-causing “forever chemicals” known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Dietary advice was issued in 2018 for fish caught in the area after PFAS were found in some species.
According to the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) website, the PFAS contamination in the Botany Bay area stemmed from the historical use of firefighting foams at the Botany Industrial Park and Sydney Airport nearby. Sampling undertaken by Airservices Australia detected PFAS in surface and groundwater within the airport precinct and in some limited sampling of fish and sediments, according to the environmental watchdog. A NSW EPA spokeswoman on Wednesday confirmed fresh testing of the area had been ordered for the first time since 2018.
“In 2018 the NSW government proactively tested commonly caught fish in Botany Bay and the Georges River, including Tower Beach, in response to concerns about potential PFAS contamination,” the spokeswoman said. “The current precautionary dietary advice remains in place; however, PFAS use in firefighting foam is being phased out and any offsite impacts have been reduced over the last few years. “The EPA .