Townsville

28 February 2019 – Lakes in Idalia, Townsville

The public is advised not to consume fish caught from lakes in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville as a precaution following testing for PFAS.

Fish sampling has been undertaken in the area as part of the Department of Defence’s Lavarack Barracks Environmental Investigation.

The Department of Defence’s sampling results identified perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) above the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) investigation trigger levels in fish caught from some of the lakes in Idalia.

The following precautionary advice should be followed.

• Continue to observe existing signage near Northview Lake, Freshwater Lake and Fairfield Lake advising against recreational fishing in the lakes.
• Do not consume fish from any lakes in Idalia.
• Do not consume fish caught from ponded sections of Gordon Creek within Idalia.

Queensland Health advises that infrequent consumption (less than once per month) of a meal of seafood from the area would not make a significant contribution to an individual’s overall exposure to PFAS. Therefore, if you have occasionally consumed fish from the area in the past, you should not be concerned for your health.

More information about the Department of Defence’s Lavarack Barracks Environmental Investigation is available.

To contact the Department of Defence about this investigation, call the project team on 1800 333 362 or email pfas.enquiry@defence.gov.au.

If you are concerned about your health, you should consult your GP or call 13 HEALTH.

Read general information about PFAS.