Odourless chemical warning after toxic smoke plume explodes above Aussie suburb
There are odourless chemicals in our environment which can make you sick. A leading expert wants Australian authorities to step up and regulate them.news
Two days after a toxic explosion rocked a Melbourne suburb, residents are being reminded by the Environment Protection Authority to avoid areas where they can detect unusual odours or there is discolouration of the water.
The fire at Derrimut in the city's west is the second major factory fire to impact the area in recent years — another chemical explosion occurred at West Footscray-Tottenham just 11km away in 2018.
Now one leading expert is warning such blazes can lead to water being contaminated for years by odourless toxins. And she’s urging authorities to rethink their regulations, particularly when it comes to forever chemicals known as PFAS.
Chemical 'not detectable until you get sick'
After the West Footscray fire, toxic levels of PFAS persisted in nearby recreational waters for two weeks. They were around 16 times higher than the safe recreational water quality levels.
Speaking generally about combatting large blazes, Monash University toxicity expert Dr Sally El Meragawi is warning it’s time for Australia to discuss its use of PFAS and related chemicals, which continue to be used in firefighting foams.
She told Yahoo News there can be a “diverse range of chemical contaminants in the water” after large factory fires. While some chemicals can have a strong smell, PFAS are generally odourless, and are not noticeable without scientific testing.
“Unfortunately, these are the kinds of the kinds of things that would be detected following chemical analysis of the water and soil in the area,” she said.
“Some solvents you may be able to smell, but a lot of these would not be detectable until you get sick.”
And unfortunately, because the impact of PFAS is more long-term, it’s often hard to connect them to illnesses.
Related: There are ‘forever chemicals’ in our drinking water. Should standards change to protect our health?
Key PFAS facts you need to know
PFAS are Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl synthetic chemicals designed to make substances non-stick.
If you live in Australia, you most likely have detectable levels of PFAS in your blood.
Chronic exposure in animals has been linked to several concerning health issues.
While Australian authorities maintain the impact on humans is yet to be "well established", the US warns PFAS could lead to increased cancer risk, low birth weight, high cholesterol and liver enzyme changes.
Development of filtration system to remove toxic chemicals
Although Victoria doesn’t manufacture PFAS, many of its lakes and rivers are badly contaminated. In November, bottlenose dolphins in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay were found to have the highest concentrations of the chemical ever detected in the species.
In a statement Meragawi called for better regulation of PFAS chemicals, to stop ongoing contamination.
“Firefighting foams are also a common source of PFAS. Despite efforts to regulate their use, these foams have not yet been phased out,” she said.
“Over the years, there have been numerous high-profile cases of PFAS contamination, particularly near military bases, airports, and firefighting training sites. Recently, there has been a push for stricter regulations, more research into alternative firefighting foams, and cleanup efforts at contaminated sites.”
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Meragawi has been working at Monash University’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering facility to develop new PFAS water filtration systems that use a membrane to help clean drinking water.
Once in the environment, PFAS doesn’t break down so it can accumulate in the food chain. Human health issues including cancer have been associated with their digestion. Meragawi hopes her system will soon be used to help rid Australia’s water of this chemical.
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