Airports to face foam scrutiny

Authorities are investigating if banned toxic firefighting foam used at commercial airports has contaminated groundwater and soil.

Horizons Regional Council is to take samples from land at Palmerston North Airport after it was confirmed foam containing banned chemicals was found in its fire trucks and in storage, as well as at airports in Napier and Gisborne.

This type of foam, which is mostly used in training to fight fuel fires, was banned in 2006 as it contains harmful chemicals.

Testing began in December at Ohakea and Woodbourne military bases after it was revealed high levels of the chemicals from firefighting foams had contaminated nearby water supplies.

In late January, it was confirmed the toxic chemicals were present in high levels at nearby properties, including in water residents had been drinking.

Testing then spread out to a larger area, and at Defence Force bases in Devonport and Whenuapai.

Since then, the banned foam has been found in fire trucks and storage containers at three commercial airports.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) issued a compliance order to Task Protection Services Ltd for Palmerston North, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay airports because it owned fire trucks and firefighting foams at those bases.

Horizons strategy and regulation group manager Dr Nic Peet said there was a meeting with Palmerston North Airport on Tuesday.

Officials would test to see if the contamination had affected groundwater and soil.

‘‘The airport has told us that in the last 20 years the use of the foam at Palmerston North Airport has been limited.’’

Task Protection Services administration and contracts manager Kim Reade said drums containing the toxic chemicals in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay were only labelled as such after the company was told they may contain the substances.

‘‘This was a precautionary measure pending testing.’’

She said the company was not aware the foam it had been using had been banned.

Details had been provided about a new foam recently available in New Zealand, but Reade said the product was still being evaluated.

‘‘EPA have asked us to hold on the changeover to this product whilst they evaluate it.’’

She said this was a sensible approach, as the firm did not want to see one harmful product replaced with another that could be harmful to the environment.

An authority spokesman said it was up to the contractor to know the legal status of the substance it was using.

He said a range of compliant, non-toxic firefighting foams were available.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand national urban commander Paul Mcgill said the toxic chemicals were still used in a small amount of specialised foam for fighting liquid fuel fires.

He said this foam was needed for only 5 per cent of incidents.

The bulk of stock had been tested and did not contain the toxic chemicals.

‘‘Fire and Emergency NZ is also working with international partners to explore and test new fluorine-free foams that are emerging in the market.’’

He said the organisation needed to be satisfied such a product would effectively combat the range of liquid fires that firefighters attended and that it was suitable for all its fire trucks.