A SWANBANK site earmarked for a new retail park has been identified in government documents as one polluted with record levels of cancer-causing forever chemical PFAS.
Owners of WMI, Swanbank Industrial Park Pty Ltd, want to build a retail precinct with big box stores at Mount Juillerat Drive, Swanbank, despite the Department of Environment saying it is contaminated with cancer causing per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, PFOS, etc).
However, the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) sampled areas on and off-site in May and June 2021.
The department tested algae, aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates, fish and turtles.
Test results showed concentrations of PFOS in samples collected on site were up to 23,826 times higher than PFAS national environment plan water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic ecosystems.
It raised concerns over potential human health concerns for those living in suburbs like Redbank, Redbank Plains, White Rock, Ripley and South Ripley as well as for the ecological health of land and water ecosystems.
“The Chief Executive is satisfied or suspects on reasonable grounds that the hazardous contaminant (being per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)) that is contaminating the land has the potential to cause serious environmental harm or material environmental harm,” the Environmental Evaluation (EE) stated.
The land was not subject to a site management plan for the contamination.
In February last year, town planners acting for Swanbank Industrial Park Pty Ltd, 28 South Environmental – and in response to ecological and environmental planning matters raised by Ipswich City Council – failed to mention contamination issues identified in the EE and the discussions with DETSI.
The levels of PFAS have prompted demands to cease the development application process until further studies can be conducted and the public made aware of the situation.
Ipswich Residents Against Toxic Environments (IRATE) said the site should be placed on the Contaminated Land Register (CLR) “to ensure that future generations are not exposed to these chemicals that are apparently endemic on the site”.
“The EE shows WMI has severely contaminated the land with cancer causing ‘forever chemicals’ PFAS and associated chemicals, both in the ground, waterways and possibly other ways,” an IRATE spokesman said.
“How is it possible that the State Assessment and Referral Agency has extended a notice for public submissions on the development until April 24 when residents would not have full knowledge of the background to this site when looking at the development application?”
“It is impossible for the public to provide appropriate submissions when any referral agency responses from SARA are unknown and what actions the company that leases the land (WMI) will take to comply with the conditions of its Environmental Protection Order (EPO).
“As such, any public notification period should be delayed until these issues are resolved to allow the public to make appropriate submissions.”
