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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/10/brisbane-airport-owner-sues-firefighting-agency-over-toxic-foam
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| Brisbane airport owner sues firefighting agency over toxic foam | Brisbane airport owner sues firefighting agency over toxic foam |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The owners of Brisbane airport are suing the nation’s air services agency over the toxic firefighting foam scandal, opening up a new front of legal action against the federal government. | The owners of Brisbane airport are suing the nation’s air services agency over the toxic firefighting foam scandal, opening up a new front of legal action against the federal government. |
| The airport site has been contaminated with chemicals from a group of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (Pfas), which have been found to share a probable link with cancer. | The airport site has been contaminated with chemicals from a group of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (Pfas), which have been found to share a probable link with cancer. |
| Overnight, authorities in California added two Pfas chemicals to a list of substances “known to the state to cause reproductive toxicity”. | Overnight, authorities in California added two Pfas chemicals to a list of substances “known to the state to cause reproductive toxicity”. |
| That finding sits in stark contrast with the Australian government’s view that there is no consistent or proven link with health impacts. | That finding sits in stark contrast with the Australian government’s view that there is no consistent or proven link with health impacts. |
| The Brisbane Airport Corporation is now suing Airservices Australia – an agency responsible for firefighting services at the country’s airports – for the contamination of its site. | The Brisbane Airport Corporation is now suing Airservices Australia – an agency responsible for firefighting services at the country’s airports – for the contamination of its site. |
| The case was filed late last month in the Queensland supreme court. The airport issued a short statement on the case, confirming it related to the use of toxic firefighting foam. | The case was filed late last month in the Queensland supreme court. The airport issued a short statement on the case, confirming it related to the use of toxic firefighting foam. |
| “Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) can confirm it has filed legal action in the supreme court of Queensland against Airservices Australia (ASA) in relation to historical aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) contamination caused by ASA at the airport,” the statement said. | “Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) can confirm it has filed legal action in the supreme court of Queensland against Airservices Australia (ASA) in relation to historical aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) contamination caused by ASA at the airport,” the statement said. |
| “As the matter is now before the court, BAC is unable to make further comment.” | “As the matter is now before the court, BAC is unable to make further comment.” |
| Airservices Australia is now the second federal entity to be sued over the firefighting foam contamination scandal. | Airservices Australia is now the second federal entity to be sued over the firefighting foam contamination scandal. |
| A spokeswoman for the agency said it was “disappointed” with Brisbane airport’s decision to launch legal action. But Airservices remained “willing to engage with relevant parties” to resolve the issue. | A spokeswoman for the agency said it was “disappointed” with Brisbane airport’s decision to launch legal action. But Airservices remained “willing to engage with relevant parties” to resolve the issue. |
| The agency had taken a proactive approach to dealing with contamination, she said. | The agency had taken a proactive approach to dealing with contamination, she said. |
| “Airservices is one of several tenants at Brisbane airport who use fire-fighting foams for the protection of the travelling public, aircraft and facilities, and to our knowledge are the only organisation to have fully phased out the use of any products containing Pfas, having done so in 2010,” she said. | “Airservices is one of several tenants at Brisbane airport who use fire-fighting foams for the protection of the travelling public, aircraft and facilities, and to our knowledge are the only organisation to have fully phased out the use of any products containing Pfas, having done so in 2010,” she said. |
| “Since that time we have proactively worked to better understand the potential impact of this legacy issue, working closely with Brisbane Airport Corporation on this matter, along with the relevant commonwealth and state health and environmental authorities.” | “Since that time we have proactively worked to better understand the potential impact of this legacy issue, working closely with Brisbane Airport Corporation on this matter, along with the relevant commonwealth and state health and environmental authorities.” |
| Toxic firefighting foam was used across rural and urban fire stations, defence bases, and at airports, largely between the 1980s and the mid-2000s. | Toxic firefighting foam was used across rural and urban fire stations, defence bases, and at airports, largely between the 1980s and the mid-2000s. |
| Firefighting services have been provided at 56 airport sites in recent decades, about half of which used the most toxic foam, 3M Light Water. | |
| About 20 Airservices operational sites are either under investigation for contamination or have been investigated. | |
| In 2003, Australia’s federal chemical regulator issued a warning about the possible environmental and health dangers of Pfas, following advice from the United States. | In 2003, Australia’s federal chemical regulator issued a warning about the possible environmental and health dangers of Pfas, following advice from the United States. |
| Following that alert, Airservices began to phase out 3M Light Water, switching to another foam it wrongly believed did not contain Pfas. It now uses a Pfas-free foam. | Following that alert, Airservices began to phase out 3M Light Water, switching to another foam it wrongly believed did not contain Pfas. It now uses a Pfas-free foam. |
| Airservices did not begin checking whether airports were contaminated until 2008. | Airservices did not begin checking whether airports were contaminated until 2008. |
| Earlier this year, Qantas advised the Queensland government that firefighting foam had spilled near Brisbane airport. | Earlier this year, Qantas advised the Queensland government that firefighting foam had spilled near Brisbane airport. |
| More than 20,000 litres were spilt, some leaching into the Brisbane river. The spill killed fish and prompting warnings to recreational anglers. | More than 20,000 litres were spilt, some leaching into the Brisbane river. The spill killed fish and prompting warnings to recreational anglers. |
| An investigation into that spill is ongoing. | An investigation into that spill is ongoing. |
| The contamination has also caused anxiety and stress among firefighters, many of whom were exposed to the chemicals during training. | The contamination has also caused anxiety and stress among firefighters, many of whom were exposed to the chemicals during training. |
| The United Firefighters Union demanded last month that airport firefighters have their blood tested. | The United Firefighters Union demanded last month that airport firefighters have their blood tested. |
| The Queensland government has already offered blood tests to firefighters working with state fire services. But the UFU believes airport firefighters, employed by Airservices, may be at a higher risk of contamination. | The Queensland government has already offered blood tests to firefighters working with state fire services. But the UFU believes airport firefighters, employed by Airservices, may be at a higher risk of contamination. |