PFAS Management

We acknowledge and respect community concerns regarding PFAS at Gold Coast Airport and, alongside Airservices Australia, we remain committed to ongoing engagement with regulatory agencies and the community.

PFAS Management at Gold Coast Airport

There are known sources of PFAS at Gold Coast Airport, with the majority attributed to the historic use of aqueous film forming foam containing PFAS, used by federal government agencies, including Airservices Australia, during firefighting training exercises.

Airservices Australia stopped using firefighting foam containing PFAS at Gold Coast Airport in 2010.

Due to the historic use of aqueous film forming foam containing PFAS on site along with other potential sources, PFAS has been detected within soil, groundwater and surface water across much of the Gold Coast Airport site, as well as some offsite locations including in Coolangatta Creek and the Cobaki Broadwater.

Following results of recent testing by Airservices Australia in mid-2024, Queensland Health has taken action to inform the public of potential health risks associated with PFAS. While Queensland Health considers the risk to be low, as a precautionary measure signage has been installed along Coolangatta Creek and the surrounding stormwater system near Gold Coast Airport, warning users not to consume fish and seafood caught in those areas. Anyone with health concerns should contact 13 HEALTH. 

What are PFAS?

Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) refer to a broad group of fluorinated chemicals, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

PFAS are manufactured chemicals used in products that resist heat, oil, stains and water. PFAS has been used in Australia and around the world across various industries and consumer products, such as metal plating, non-stick cookware, specialised textiles, stain-resistant treatments for fabrics and furniture, and firefighting foams, including those historically used by Airservices Australia.

While scientific understanding of PFAS and their risks is still developing, research has shown that these chemicals are highly persistent, and some forms can bioaccumulate in the environment. Federal government agencies historically used firefighting foams containing PFAS at multiple sites nationwide, including by Airservices Australia at Gold Coast Airport.

What is being done about PFAS at Gold Coast Airport?

When managing PFAS on-airport we follow the PFAS National Environmental Management Plan 3.0 (NEMP), a national framework providing a risk-based approach to addressing PFAS contamination.

A series of PFAS investigations have been conducted at and around Gold Coast Airport by Airservices Australia, the Federal Infrastructure Department as part of the Commonwealth’s PFAS Investigation Program, Gold Coast Airport, and relevant state and local government agencies.

Gold Coast Airport’s Master Plan and Environment Strategy 2024 acknowledge that Gold Coast Airport has been impacted by Airservices Australia’s historic use of PFAS. We have long advocated for the Commonwealth Government to accept accountability and manage and remediate PFAS contamination on-site accordingly.

For further information on PFAS including reports on PFAS investigations at Gold Coast Airport, such as the Preliminary Site Investigation Report, Preliminary Sampling Report, Cobaki Broadwater Aquatic Biota Sampling Report, and the 2017 Groundwater and Surface Water Investigation Report, please visit the Airservices Australia web page.

Due to the persistent nature of PFAS, management will be a long-term process in collaboration with Airservices Australia and regulatory agencies. This approach will continue to evolve in line with updates to the NEMP and other relevant guidance from state and federal governments.

Gold Coast Airport encourages community members to check this webpage regularly for updates on PFAS management at the airport.

Helpful links

aboriginal-flag Acknowledgement of Country

Gold Coast Airport respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the cultural landscape on which Gold Coast Airport is situated, the Bundjalung and Yugambeh people, and pays respect to their Elders past, present and future.