The Department of Defence have denied any responsibility for the PFAS contamination at the Tamworth airport, which has been traced back to foam used in firefighting exercises.
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The move, heard during Senate Estimates on Tuesday, puts the mess squarely back on Tamworth Regional Council’s plate. Council has already spent nearly $150,000 of ratepayers’ money on containment and testing.
Greens senator Lee Rhiannon said that “we know that there are high levels of PFAS onsite, now is not the time for investigations to stop due to a funding stalemate.”
TRC General Manager Paul Bennett already knew that the Defence Department were not the polluters, but did say however, “that a Federal Government agency is responsible, and as such the Federal Government should take responsibility for this issue.”
“The safety of our residents is our primary concern, and we will continue to ensure that precautionary measures are undertaken to avoid any further exposure to the chemical,” Mr Bennett said.