NEWS DESK
Defence allays fears over health-risk soil Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au A DEFENCE investigation has found “no evidence of any unacceptable exposure or risk” to residents living near HMAS Cerberus or workers at the base from the historic use of firefighting foams. The all-clear extends to those eating fish caught at nearby Hanns Inlet, onbase workers doing non-surface soil works and trainees or visitors through direct exposure to soil at the base. However, traces of the chemicals were found where the PFAS foam was used and stored, such as the fire ground and station, ornamental lake, sullage pit, irrigated sports fields and former sewage treatment plant. Also within the base but outside these areas of impact “low levels of PFAS were found in soils, groundwater and surface water”. This means there is “evidence of potential unacceptable exposure risk” to construction or maintenance workers inside the base through “potential incidental ingestion of soil, sediment, bio-solids, surface water or groundwater”. PFAS investigation and management branch assistant secretary Luke McLeod presented the findings to the fourth
– and final – community information session at Crib Point Primary School last week before 15 people. He said 495 samples of soil, groundwater, surface water, grass and fish were tested over 18 months for contamination as part of the investigation. “We know enough about the issue to say that PFAS migrates through ground and surface water into Hanns Inlet, and that samples of fish caught there have shown some detections,” he said. “We are trying now to identify the source of the contamination.” The investigation found that ground and surface water from the base flows away from the adjacent residential and community land to discharge into Hanns Inlet. Despite this, the findings state that “while there is evidence of PFAS accumulation within Hanns Inlet, there is no exposure risk to potential human consumers”. The report noted that public access to the inlet was prohibited. Mr McLeod said the Navy was now developing a management strategy to identify practical solutions “to prevent or minimise the migration of PFAS beyond the Defence property boundary and manage identified on-base exposure risks”.
Walk the talk: Superintendent Adrian White out on the road for police mental health. Picture: Yanni
Walk to improve police mental health A THREE-DAY walk to “touch base” with every police station on the Mornington Peninsula is Superintendent Adrian White’s way of getting an important message across to his staff. He wants to encourage police to reflect on and, hopefully, initiate discussions with support groups or seek help to prevent their suffering ongoing mental illness or harm. Superintendent White was planning to cover the 100 kilometres over three days – Friday 12 October to Sunday 14 October – from Carrum Downs police station to Sorrento police
station to raise awareness of mental issues that he says are “increasing among our current and former police members”. He said he was completing his walk in his own hours, “travelling and touching base with each station within the Southern Metro Region Division 4”. The walk ties into the Head-to-Head walk being completed by Chief Commissioner Ashton Graham and a team led by Secretary Sergeant Wayne Gatt from Mallacoota to Melbourne. The overall walk aims to raise more
than $500,000 for the Victoria Police provident fund’s new mental health fund and assist the retired peer support officer program. This volunteer group of retired police members supports more than 700 mostly former police experiencing mental health issues, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and alcohol and substance abuse. Rather than accept donations or pledges during his walk Superintendent White asked that they be made on the Head-to-Head website. Stephen Taylor
Western Port News
17 October 2018
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