PFOA and PFOS Foam Contaminants at RAAF Base Pearce in Bullsbrook
See the PFAS Foam Contamination display at the Bullsbrook Country Fair on Sunday April 8, 2018 from 10am until 3pm. Great Northern Highway Bullsbrook
The Department of Defence is currently undertaking investigations to determine the extent to which PFAs firefighting foams have contaminated Pearce air base and surrounding areas. These foams have not been used at Pearce for a number of years but they persist in the soil and water.

The foams have been linked to adverse human and environmental health outcomes. If you live on the perimeter of the RAAF Base Pearce and use your bore water for household purposes, to water stock, veggie gardens or fruit trees it is recommended that you don't eat the produce or drink your bore water until your bore has been tested for the presence of PFAS.  Defence will provide free bottled drinking water - ring 1800 987 614 to arrange this.

You can have your bore water tested privately - there are a number of laboratories in WA and over east that test for these chemicals.  A single sample will cost around $200 - it is important to check that the laboratory you choose can conduct testing to an appropriate level of sensitivity - at least 0.01micrograms/litre. Also check they do the analysis themselves rather than outsourcing it as many outsource to ALS in Malaga which was used by Defence for their testing. BRRA used a  lab located in Queensland for their private sample to be tested. Contact secretary.brra@gmail.com if you would like more details about our sample. 

Please see below for information about Defence's response to the issue in Bullsbrook, links to articles in the press and also further information about the foams and their impacts on human and environmental health. This page will be updated regularly as more information becomes available.

There was a federal government inquiry into the impact of these foams on defence bases across Australia, however 
due to the most recent federal election the inquiry lapsed but the investigations at Pearce and other bases continue.

This will be ongoing item on the Agendas for the forthcoming BRRA meetings.                                                             Next meeting - Monday May 14 2018  - 7pm - Ethel Warren Community Centre Bullsbrook
Link to : ABC Four Corners Program on PFAS Contamination in Australia :  http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/contamination/9032140
What's happening in Bullsbrook
  • Defence and GHD personnel held shop-front sessions in Bullsbrook townsite on Friday 23 February and at the Bullsbrook Museum on Saturday 24 February 2018 to give residents the opportunity to discuss the investigation and where to from here. A total of 16 attended on Friday and 22 on Saturday.
  • Mrs Rachel Rees-Scott, Director PFAS Investigations
    Estate & Infrastructure Group and Mrs Angela Barrett
    Project Director PFAS Site Investigations RAAF Pearce, & Gin Gin Estate & Infrastructure Group presented the latest information on the ongoing investigation to approximately 50 BRRA members at our February meeting.
  • http://echonewspaper.com.au/fish-crabs-tested-pfas/
  • GHD on behalf of Defence retested the water from the bore at the Bullsbrook Museum which is run by BRRA.  Results indicated the levels of PFAs were less than the limit for reporting and below screening criteria for drinking water and recreational water use.  Full report available here.
  • http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/forrestfield-tunnel-toxic-pfas-soil-dump-future-uncertain/9066212
  • ​https://www.yanchepnewsonline.com.au/pfas-investigation-starts-gingin-airfield/
  • http://echonewspaper.com.au/pearce-fireys-speak/
  • http://echonewspaper.com.au/pfas-found-bullsbrook-eggs/
  • A copy of the presentation from the May 18 Community Session can be accessed http://www.defence.gov.au/id/Pearce/CommunityConsultation.asp
  • Great to see representatives from DER and DPC at the community information session - quite concerning the state government's silence on this issue. 
  • Walk in Community Information Session - Thursday 18 May, Lowery Park Hall, 2-4pm and 5-7pm
  • http://echonewspaper.com.au/chemicals-escape/
  • BRRA has been contacted by a representative from IMF BENTHAM INTERNATIONAL LITIGATION FUNDING 
    50 Gilbert Street, Adelaide SA 5000
    T +61 8 8122 1010  M +61 411 228 673
    www.imfbenthamltd.com                                                           with respect to potential class actions by local residents            
  • Walk in Community Information Session - Monday 5 December 2016, Pickett Park Hall - 3pm-8pm. 
  • http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-07/residents-drinking-bottled-water-near-pearce-raaf-air-base/7913978
  • Great to see representatives from DER at the community information session last night - state government interest in the impact on Bullsbrook community had been sadly lacking until then. 
  • A copy of the preliminary report of the RAAF Base Pearce environmental investigation can be downloaded from  http://www.defence.gov.au/id/Pearce/CommunityConsultation.asp
  • A copy of the presentation from the  Bullsbrook Community Information Session that was held on Thursday 22 September at Bullsbrook College is available for download from http://www.defence.gov.au/id/_Master/docs/Pearce/PearceCommunityInfoSession2_22Sep16-PresentationFinal.pdf
  • http://echonewspaper.com.au/toxic-chemicals-not-just-pearce-air-base-issue/
  • The federal government has announced it will hold an enquiry into the health effects of PFOS and PFOA. Results by end of August. Click here to download Terms of Reference and press release.
  • GHD has informed us that they are having samples of water from 20 bores on private properties at the lower eastern, western and southern boundaries of RAAF Base Pearce analysed for the presence of PFOS and PFOA. Investigations on the Base are also ongoing. The next public meeting is expected to be held in Bullsbrook at the end of August when results of the current testing will be presented.  
  • http://echonewspaper.com.au/pearce-tests-lead-use-bottled-water/
  • There was a good turnout of community members to the information session held by defence on Thursday 23 at Bullsbrook Library. The background to the contamination issue was provided by defence representatives and GHD discussed plans for further investigations including monitoring bores, analysis of surface and ground water and soil testing on the base and to a yet to be determined area around the perimeter of the base. Results of analysis of water from the first 10 private bores revealed all samples were below the current Australian limits. However revised limits are expected to be released by Enhealth very soon. A water use survey of residents is underway and bottled water will continue to be provided to those who request it within 3km of the Base. A question and answer session followed. Not all questions were able to be adequately answered. It was very concerning to the community that representatives of WA State Govt Departments of Health, Water and Environment chose not to be at the meeting even they had been officially invited to attend. Their absence meant a number of questions were unable to answered. We are deeply concerned that the State Government does not appear to acknowledge the seriousness of this issue and the potential negative impacts the residual PFOS and PFOA could have on the health of our community and its members. Thank you to the City of Swan Health and Place Managers who were in attendance.  
  • Representatives from RAAF Base pearce attended the BRRA meeting on June 13. BRRA members were updated on the private bore analysis findings and their questions were answered. 
  • RAAF Base Pearce is holding a Public Information Session at Bullsbrook library from 7-8.30pm Thursday 23 June 2016.
  • The results of testing by defence of water from two other private bores have been shared with BRRA and also revealed similar results to those of the Museum.  
  • Water from the bore at the Museum on Turner Rd was sampled by GHD and analysed at the ALS laboratory. The test result was none detectable at 0.01 micrograms/litre which is a good outcome. We also had a sample tested independently at a different lab and the revealed NO detectable PFOS or PFOA, the fire fighting foams, in the sample - the limit of reporting was also 0.01micrograms/litre. 
  • May 2016: Defence engaged GHD to undertake water sampling in Bullsbrook. They sampled 10 private bores in West Bullsbrook and expect to share the results during the first week in June. They are also planning their protocals for water and soil sampling on the base. Contact details for GHD are to the right. More information at http://www.defence.gov.au/id/pearce/
  • Friday 20 May 2016 fact sheets were hand delivered in letterboxes in West Bullsbrook.  
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Please use this number to order bottled water or if you have any concerns or questions about the issue.
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Results of most recent testing of the bore at the Museum in West Bullsbrook. This is the third time a sample from the bore has been tested with the same results.
New Australian Guidelines on tolerable levels of PFAS in drinking water released June 2016
Terms of reference for Federal Government inquiry into the Health Effects of PFOS and PFOA
           Senate Inquiry into Fire Fighting Foam Contamination
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/ADF_facilities/Report_part_A
 The current investigations into the foam contamination at Bullsbrook are a result of a Senate inquiry.                           On 30 November 2015, the Senate referred the following matter to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References  Committee for inquiry and report: Contamination of Australian Defence Force facilities (Part A) reporting by 4 February  2016, and contamination of other sites using firefighting foams (Part B) reporting by 30 April 2016.  On 17 March 2016,  the Senate extended the reporting date for the inquiry (Part B) to 11 May 2016.
 Impact of the current double dissolution and election on the Inquiry 
 At the dissolution of the Senate and the House of Representatives on 9 May 2016 for a general election on 2 July 2016,  the parliamentary committees of the 44th Parliament ceased to exist. Therefore inquiries that were not completed have  lapsed.  
The Inquiry documents can be downloaded at the links below or visit the web address above.
Link to transcripts of Inquiry's public hearings: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/ADF_facilities/Public_Hearings
​​Link to Defence response to contamination at RAAF Base Williamtown - 6 May 2016
http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2016/05/06/water-treatment-plant-for-lake-cochran-raaf-base-williamtown/
chpt_1_terms_of_reference.pdf
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chpt_2_background.pdf
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chpt_4_fishing_industry.pdf
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chpt_3_community_impacts.pdf
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greens_comments.pdf
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chpt_5_govt_response.pdf
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dissenting_report.pdf
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chpt_6_recommendations.pdf
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Government and other advice on current understandings of the health impacts of PFOS and PFOA
Links to scholarly articles relating to PFOS and PFOA
Press Articles Relating to Foam Contamination Across Australia and Elsewhere                                                    Most recent articles are at the top - click on the link to access.
 Articles Relating to Foam Contamination at RAAF Base Pearce, Bullsbrook, WA