Queensland council sues federal government over PFAS contamination
Toowoomba Regional Council is suing the federal government over the contamination of bore water with toxic firefighting foam chemicals.
Mayor Paul Antonio said the legal action was about "protecting ratepayers' assets" after an Oakey bore field was contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
"We invested quite heavily in that bore field and we have a right to confront the federal government," he said.
"We've been talking to a number of people and we have also received a supportive response from the federal government."
More than 425 tonnes of toxic firefighting foams, a risk to the environment and human health, was discovered at 468 locations in Queensland last year, according to a state government audit.
They were still being used at 211 locations in August 2017, after a 12-month phase-out by the state government began in June 2017, according to the Department of Environment and Science audit.
A parliamentary inquiry has called on the Morrison government to compensate people whose property values have been devastated by firefighting foam contamination, to ban the toxins and to appoint a coordinator-general to take over the handling of the unfolding environmental crisis.
Liberal MP Andrew Laming delivered the findings in Parliament on Monday and described the stories of those affected by PFAS contamination as "graphic" and "horrifying".
The toxic chemicals, which have contaminated land across the country, do not break down and have been linked to immune suppression, developmental effects and cancer.
A spokesman for federal Environment Minister Melissa Price referred the matter to Assistant Defence Minister Senator David Fawcett, who has been contacted for comment.
More to come.
- with Tony Moore, Carrie Fellner and Matthew Kelly.