NSW Environmental Protection Agency NSW Government

Quirindi airport

BAE Systems and Liverpool Shire Plains Council have investigated potential per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASA) contamination stemming from the historical use of fire-fighting foams at Quirindi airport.

Investigations have detected PFAS in some areas at the airport. The detection of PFAS is not unexpected given the past use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foams at the site. PFAS has also been used in many domestic and industrial products and background levels may be present from these other sources.

Residents of Quirindi do not need to take any additional precautions to limit their exposure to PFAS.

PFAS is confined to the training pad area and does not appear to be migrating. As a precaution, BAE Systems, one of the users of the airport, voluntarily conducted six-monthly monitoring over a two year period. This monitoring showed that PFAS concentrations in groundwater remained stable and localised to the training pad area throughout the entire period.

PFAS investigations at Quirindi Airport have now concluded.

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