PFAS: New forever chemicals found in Sydney Water
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Dr Nicholas Chartres, a senior research fellow in the school of pharmacy at the University of Sydney, told this masthead it would have been most appropriate for the NSW Health webinar to present the findings of the US Environmental Protection Agency and NASEM reviews alongside the IARC evaluations.
'Government advice should not rely on individual experts, but rather rigorous, transparent reviews that reflect the most current science, when available,' he said.
NASEM took a similar approach to the Australian panel in 2018, Chartres said, but was more rigorous and up to date, taking in the 139 human studies that had been published since then.
A NSW Health spokesperson said it had convened an expert panel to report to the chief health officer on a range of clinical matters relating to PFAS. The webinar was to support local clinicians to provide information and give them a chance to share case studies and ask questions, the spokesperson said.
STOP PFAS convener Jon Dee in Leura. Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
Jon Dee, from Blue Mountains community group STOP PFAS, said: 'The PFAS in our drinking water was an Erin Brockovich-level contamination, yet NSW Health is downplaying this and ignoring a huge amount of international evidence about PFAS health risks.' Blood donations
Buckley told the webinar about a third of PFAS in a human body would be in the blood stream, and if individuals were concerned about their PFAS levels and wanted to be proactive in lowering it, they could consider donating blood.
'You'd be getting rid of 3 per cent of your PFAS in your body every time you gave 500ml of blood,' Buckley said.
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'If you quietly said 'you're welcome to give blood and you will get rid of 3 per cent of the PFAS in your body every time you give blood', I actually think it's not a bad idea.'
A randomised clinical trial of 285 Victorian firefighters in 2019 found donating blood lowered PFAS levels, while the PFAS Health Study at the Australian National University has identified menstruation as one of the reasons why PFAS levels are lower in Australian women than men at population level.
Jones told the webinar she disagreed with blood donation to lower PFAS because it could cause persistent anaemia and there was 'no proven causality between PFASes and adverse health effects'.
Buckley responded that it was 'a futile exercise in getting rid of PFAS at one level – you're not expecting health benefits', but as long as it was in the guidelines for blood donation, he did not see any huge problems with it. Sydney tap water
Residents in the Blue Mountains have been exposed to high levels of PFAS, especially PFOS from firefighting foam, in drinking water for at least 17 years and possibly up to 32 years. Water with PFAS levels above safe limits had been supplying 78,000 residents from Mount Victoria to Glenbrook, according to Sydney Water, until the pipeline to a contaminated dam was disconnected last year.
Last week, the NSW Environment Protection Authority put out a warning that people should limit their consumption of fish from Wentworth Falls Lake to one serve of redfin perch per week and all other fish species to two serves a week because of the results of testing of surface water and fish for PFAS.
Peter Morse, a master fly casting instructor, was out at Wentworth Falls Lake on Monday honing his skills. He said he never catches fish in the lake mainly because of concerns about urban run-off from nearby houses, but noted the lake was stocked with trout annually and they were always fished out by the end of the season.
'It's a popular spot for kids in the mountains to go fishing, and I suspect if they catch a trout, they're going to take it home for mum to cook,' Morse said.
On Tuesday, it emerged that University of NSW researchers have found a total of 31 PFAS types in Sydney tap water, including one never before found in tap water anywhere in the world, publishing their findings in the journal Chemosphere overnight. The samples were analysed per drinking water catchment and found to be highest around North Richmond, with potential contamination from the air base.
The detected PFAS included 3:3 FTCA, thought to be only the second global detection in any drinking water supply, and 6:2 diPAP, previously found in bottled water and now detected in tap water for the first time.
Lead researcher Professor William Alexander Donald said the health effects of 3:3 FTCA were unknown, but there was some evidence to suggest that 6:2 diPAP caused thyroid and reproductive issues.
PFOS was found at 6 parts per trillion (ppt), which is 2 ppt below Australian drinking water guidelines of 8 ppt, but higher than the Trump-era US EPA's advisory limit of 4 ppt.
Donald said one of the most interesting findings was that Sydney tap water had high levels of PFBA, a short-chain PFAS that is being used as a replacement for the banned substances, PFOS and PFOA.
'It's more mobile in the environment, so it shouldn't persist as long, but across all the samples it has the highest average concentration,' Donald said. 'It shows this idea that you can make tweaks to these chemicals to get around using the banned substances, but then … it ends up in our tap water.'
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines from the National Health and Medical Research Council covers five main types of PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX chemicals. A Sydney Water spokesperson said drinking water from all nine of its water filtration plants was safe to drink and met the guidelines.
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The Advertiser
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This is branded content for The Kids' Cancer Project. Growing up, with his acclaimed rugby union career still ahead of him, Owen Finegan's future dedication to helping others was already being shaped - by his dad. "His favourite saying was, 'It's in giving that you receive'," says the former champion Australian Wallaby, now chief executive officer of The Kids' Cancer Project, Australia's largest independent not-for-profit investor in childhood cancer research. "He was one of the big influences on my life, and that was one thing he drilled into all of us. He was one of my biggest heroes and role models. " This year marks ten years since Mr Finegan took on the role at The Kids' Cancer Project, with a promise to take up the goal of its founder, Col Reynolds, to see 100 per cent of children, adolescents and young adults surviving cancer as well as living with no long-term health implications caused by their treatment. 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"We're working together with other organisations in Australia and globally, and there are more and more advances with technology and big data, as well as bioinformatics, that are being used in the cancer space," he said. "When I started a decade ago, there was no such thing as AI, and now there are all those components being used, helping to speed up research projects. "We'd like to see that goal reached tomorrow, and certainly Col keeps talking about it. He's 84, still on our board, and continues to inspire us all. He got two new knees a couple of years ago and says until a cure is found he'll keep going. "He rang me four weeks ago just to tell me he's redone his will leaving everything to The Kids' Cancer Project. That's the kind of passion he has." Along with all of the research projects The Kids' Cancer Project has supported, involvement in the ZERO Childhood Cancer precision medicine program is one Mr Finegan is particularly proud of. 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Growing up, with his acclaimed rugby union career still ahead of him, Owen Finegan's future dedication to helping others was already being shaped - by his dad. "His favourite saying was, 'It's in giving that you receive'," says the former champion Australian Wallaby, now chief executive officer of The Kids' Cancer Project, Australia's largest independent not-for-profit investor in childhood cancer research. "He was one of the big influences on my life, and that was one thing he drilled into all of us. He was one of my biggest heroes and role models. " This year marks ten years since Mr Finegan took on the role at The Kids' Cancer Project, with a promise to take up the goal of its founder, Col Reynolds, to see 100 per cent of children, adolescents and young adults surviving cancer as well as living with no long-term health implications caused by their treatment. Mr Reynolds was inspired to establish the organisation more than 32 years ago after seeing two bald young cancer patients who were heading to Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital cross in front of the bus he was driving. He was so struck by the sight that he followed them into the hospital to find out about them. Since then, The Kids' Cancer Project has contributed more than $75 million to childhood cancer research, funding 429 projects since 2005. In Australia, cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease in childhood. Around 1000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year, and three die each week. But there is plenty of hope. In the last 10 years, the survival rate has increased from 58 per cent to 87 per cent, and researchers continue to make inroads into developing kinder, less toxic cancer treatments that will mean survivors can thrive for the rest of their lives. Mr Finegan said he's grateful his rugby career helped provide him with the opportunity to be involved in raising awareness and encouraging support to provide the funding scientists need to make the innovative discoveries, advance treatments, and build support programs to improve outcomes for children and their families. "I feel very lucky," he said. "I had a great time playing for the Wallabies, representing my country. It was a decade that was a golden era for Australian rugby, and the trophy cabinets were full. "People would think what could be more rewarding than that, but this role is much more, representing young kids and their families and trying to get them a better deal. I meet children and families that have endured childhood cancer and see firsthand the importance of what we're doing." 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"We're working together with other organisations in Australia and globally, and there are more and more advances with technology and big data, as well as bioinformatics, that are being used in the cancer space," he said. "When I started a decade ago, there was no such thing as AI, and now there are all those components being used, helping to speed up research projects. "We'd like to see that goal reached tomorrow, and certainly Col keeps talking about it. He's 84, still on our board, and continues to inspire us all. He got two new knees a couple of years ago and says until a cure is found he'll keep going. "He rang me four weeks ago just to tell me he's redone his will leaving everything to The Kids' Cancer Project. That's the kind of passion he has." Along with all of the research projects The Kids' Cancer Project has supported, involvement in the ZERO Childhood Cancer precision medicine program is one Mr Finegan is particularly proud of. In 2016, The Kids' Cancer Project made an initial investment of $200,000 in the personalised medicine program's initial clinical trials, which offered real-time genomic testing for Australian children with aggressive cancers. The funding allowed ZERO to demonstrate its capabilities to larger funding bodies, including state and federal governments. In March, ZERO received a $112 million investment from the Albanese Government, securing its status as a world-leading childhood cancer program. "This funding means every child with paediatric cancers will have access to personalised treatment, having their genetics tested, having their tumour tested, to find the best treatment specifically for them," Mr Finegan said. "These are some of the many big wins that are happening." To find out more about The Kids Cancer Project and how you can support its dream for no young person to die of cancer visit This is branded content for The Kids' Cancer Project. Growing up, with his acclaimed rugby union career still ahead of him, Owen Finegan's future dedication to helping others was already being shaped - by his dad. "His favourite saying was, 'It's in giving that you receive'," says the former champion Australian Wallaby, now chief executive officer of The Kids' Cancer Project, Australia's largest independent not-for-profit investor in childhood cancer research. "He was one of the big influences on my life, and that was one thing he drilled into all of us. He was one of my biggest heroes and role models. " This year marks ten years since Mr Finegan took on the role at The Kids' Cancer Project, with a promise to take up the goal of its founder, Col Reynolds, to see 100 per cent of children, adolescents and young adults surviving cancer as well as living with no long-term health implications caused by their treatment. Mr Reynolds was inspired to establish the organisation more than 32 years ago after seeing two bald young cancer patients who were heading to Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital cross in front of the bus he was driving. He was so struck by the sight that he followed them into the hospital to find out about them. Since then, The Kids' Cancer Project has contributed more than $75 million to childhood cancer research, funding 429 projects since 2005. In Australia, cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease in childhood. Around 1000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year, and three die each week. But there is plenty of hope. In the last 10 years, the survival rate has increased from 58 per cent to 87 per cent, and researchers continue to make inroads into developing kinder, less toxic cancer treatments that will mean survivors can thrive for the rest of their lives. Mr Finegan said he's grateful his rugby career helped provide him with the opportunity to be involved in raising awareness and encouraging support to provide the funding scientists need to make the innovative discoveries, advance treatments, and build support programs to improve outcomes for children and their families. "I feel very lucky," he said. "I had a great time playing for the Wallabies, representing my country. It was a decade that was a golden era for Australian rugby, and the trophy cabinets were full. "People would think what could be more rewarding than that, but this role is much more, representing young kids and their families and trying to get them a better deal. I meet children and families that have endured childhood cancer and see firsthand the importance of what we're doing." While there is the continuing sadness of attending funerals of young people, Mr Finegan is encouraged by seeing survivors, such as the son of one of his former Wallaby teammates, who, 18 months ago, celebrated his 21st. "He'd been diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was a boy and given a 35 per cent chance of survival," he said. "I often say to people my vision is for more twenty-first birthdays and fewer funerals. You don't ever want to be going to a young child's funeral." Excited by the many achievements in the childhood cancer field since he became involved with The Kids' Cancer Project, Mr Finegan said he is confident the goal of zero deaths from childhood cancer is in sight. However, the work of The Kids' Cancer Project will continue even after that, to give survivors a better quality of life. Currently, around 80 per cent of children who survive have life-long physical, emotional and psychological problems as a result of the gruelling treatments they endure. "We're working together with other organisations in Australia and globally, and there are more and more advances with technology and big data, as well as bioinformatics, that are being used in the cancer space," he said. "When I started a decade ago, there was no such thing as AI, and now there are all those components being used, helping to speed up research projects. "We'd like to see that goal reached tomorrow, and certainly Col keeps talking about it. He's 84, still on our board, and continues to inspire us all. He got two new knees a couple of years ago and says until a cure is found he'll keep going. "He rang me four weeks ago just to tell me he's redone his will leaving everything to The Kids' Cancer Project. That's the kind of passion he has." Along with all of the research projects The Kids' Cancer Project has supported, involvement in the ZERO Childhood Cancer precision medicine program is one Mr Finegan is particularly proud of. In 2016, The Kids' Cancer Project made an initial investment of $200,000 in the personalised medicine program's initial clinical trials, which offered real-time genomic testing for Australian children with aggressive cancers. The funding allowed ZERO to demonstrate its capabilities to larger funding bodies, including state and federal governments. In March, ZERO received a $112 million investment from the Albanese Government, securing its status as a world-leading childhood cancer program. "This funding means every child with paediatric cancers will have access to personalised treatment, having their genetics tested, having their tumour tested, to find the best treatment specifically for them," Mr Finegan said. "These are some of the many big wins that are happening." To find out more about The Kids Cancer Project and how you can support its dream for no young person to die of cancer visit
ABC News
5 hours ago
- ABC News
Bullsbrook residents' row with Defence Department continues over PFAS 'forever' chemicals
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The Advertiser
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"This really leaves them quite vulnerable to being misled." From December, people under 16 will no longer be able to create accounts on social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook ,TikTok and YouTube. The study found that 86 per cent of teens and parents interviewed believed children under 16 years will still find ways to access social media once the regulation is introduced. 'Young people are still faced with a huge amount of information to navigate once they do hit 16 and can legally enter that social media space," Dr Rhodes said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Teenagers risk being exposed to misinformation and harmful body image content as they turn to social media for health information. Research published by The Royal Children's Hospital on Wednesday found that while two-thirds of teens get health guidance from social media, more than a third wished their bodies were different after viewing content. Fitness and diet are among the most popular topics being accessed by teenagers on the platforms. Year 9 student Willow told AAP social media can be a harmful place as it applies pressure for young people to fit certain societal standards of beauty and body image. She said health and wellness treatments such sun tanning were widely discussed among friends at school and on social media, making them hard to avoid. "Recently I've seen (content) romanticising tan lines," she said. "It's probably not the best thing for young skin or those more prone to melanoma." The National Child Health Poll surveyed more than 1400 Australian parents, and one of their children aged between 12 and 17 years old. It found that many teens make health decisions based on social media content, with more than a third having tried or considered something new after seeing it online. Willow said she had seen peers trying trends like switching to retinol in their skincare routines, which isn't recommended for young people. Almost all young people aged 12 to 17 years use social media, with three quarters reporting it hard to know what is true and untrue. Pediatrician and director of the National Child Health Poll Anthea Rhodes said it was critical teens questioned what they saw online and learned how to find trustworthy health information. "They're being presented with huge amount of content that's often quite persuasive. It may be emotive and engaging and offers solutions or advice to common challenges that we know teenagers face," she told AAP. "This really leaves them quite vulnerable to being misled." From December, people under 16 will no longer be able to create accounts on social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook ,TikTok and YouTube. The study found that 86 per cent of teens and parents interviewed believed children under 16 years will still find ways to access social media once the regulation is introduced. 'Young people are still faced with a huge amount of information to navigate once they do hit 16 and can legally enter that social media space," Dr Rhodes said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Teenagers risk being exposed to misinformation and harmful body image content as they turn to social media for health information. Research published by The Royal Children's Hospital on Wednesday found that while two-thirds of teens get health guidance from social media, more than a third wished their bodies were different after viewing content. Fitness and diet are among the most popular topics being accessed by teenagers on the platforms. Year 9 student Willow told AAP social media can be a harmful place as it applies pressure for young people to fit certain societal standards of beauty and body image. She said health and wellness treatments such sun tanning were widely discussed among friends at school and on social media, making them hard to avoid. "Recently I've seen (content) romanticising tan lines," she said. "It's probably not the best thing for young skin or those more prone to melanoma." The National Child Health Poll surveyed more than 1400 Australian parents, and one of their children aged between 12 and 17 years old. It found that many teens make health decisions based on social media content, with more than a third having tried or considered something new after seeing it online. Willow said she had seen peers trying trends like switching to retinol in their skincare routines, which isn't recommended for young people. Almost all young people aged 12 to 17 years use social media, with three quarters reporting it hard to know what is true and untrue. Pediatrician and director of the National Child Health Poll Anthea Rhodes said it was critical teens questioned what they saw online and learned how to find trustworthy health information. "They're being presented with huge amount of content that's often quite persuasive. It may be emotive and engaging and offers solutions or advice to common challenges that we know teenagers face," she told AAP. "This really leaves them quite vulnerable to being misled." From December, people under 16 will no longer be able to create accounts on social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook ,TikTok and YouTube. The study found that 86 per cent of teens and parents interviewed believed children under 16 years will still find ways to access social media once the regulation is introduced. 'Young people are still faced with a huge amount of information to navigate once they do hit 16 and can legally enter that social media space," Dr Rhodes said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Teenagers risk being exposed to misinformation and harmful body image content as they turn to social media for health information. Research published by The Royal Children's Hospital on Wednesday found that while two-thirds of teens get health guidance from social media, more than a third wished their bodies were different after viewing content. Fitness and diet are among the most popular topics being accessed by teenagers on the platforms. Year 9 student Willow told AAP social media can be a harmful place as it applies pressure for young people to fit certain societal standards of beauty and body image. She said health and wellness treatments such sun tanning were widely discussed among friends at school and on social media, making them hard to avoid. "Recently I've seen (content) romanticising tan lines," she said. "It's probably not the best thing for young skin or those more prone to melanoma." The National Child Health Poll surveyed more than 1400 Australian parents, and one of their children aged between 12 and 17 years old. It found that many teens make health decisions based on social media content, with more than a third having tried or considered something new after seeing it online. Willow said she had seen peers trying trends like switching to retinol in their skincare routines, which isn't recommended for young people. Almost all young people aged 12 to 17 years use social media, with three quarters reporting it hard to know what is true and untrue. Pediatrician and director of the National Child Health Poll Anthea Rhodes said it was critical teens questioned what they saw online and learned how to find trustworthy health information. "They're being presented with huge amount of content that's often quite persuasive. It may be emotive and engaging and offers solutions or advice to common challenges that we know teenagers face," she told AAP. "This really leaves them quite vulnerable to being misled." From December, people under 16 will no longer be able to create accounts on social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook ,TikTok and YouTube. The study found that 86 per cent of teens and parents interviewed believed children under 16 years will still find ways to access social media once the regulation is introduced. 'Young people are still faced with a huge amount of information to navigate once they do hit 16 and can legally enter that social media space," Dr Rhodes said. Lifeline 13 11 14 Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
