Worries about toxic chemicals grow as testing expands

Testing for contamination from firefighting foam containing a banned chemical at Palmerston North Airport will be extended to a second area, triggered by a report about its use in the 1980s.

Chief executive David Lanham said the airport company had recently learned the foam might have been used in training on site before 1988, when the Ministry of Transport provided the airport’s fire and rescue services.

A witness had spoken to the airport board about activity he had seen at the airport more than 30 years ago, and the board was convinced the information needed to be checked out.

The process of commissioning tests of one area of potential soil and groundwater tests was already under way.

That was based on known use of foam containing the chemical perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which was banned in 2006, by fire and rescue contractor Task Protection Services.

The second site would be added to the scope of the testing process as a precaution.

The company had told Horizons Regional Council about extending the areas covered by testing, both of which are on Palmerston North Airport land, but will not interfere with airport operations.

Testing would start in April, and results would be shared with Horizons before decisions were made about what to do next. Lanham said the airport wanted any contamination checked out and dealt with as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Concerns about possible contamination from use of the chemical were raised in December, when the chemicals were found at levels higher than health guidelines allowed at air force bases at Ohakea in Manawatu¯ and Woodbourne in Marlborough.

Investigations expanded to commercial airports, including Nelson, Palmerston North, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.

At Palmerston North Airport, Task Protection Services was continuing to work with the Environmental Protection Authority about how to safely store and dispose of foam kept on site. The remaining foam was allowed to be used in an emergency to save lives, but could not be used in training exercises.