Latest news with #NSWEnvironmentProtectionAuthority
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Emission targets on track but nature in 'deep trouble'
More scorching days over 35C are on the horizon, hundreds of species are considered threatened and a landfill crisis is looming with rubbish piling up rapidly, a "truly alarming" report shows. The State of the Environment 2024, released every three years by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, found each person in the most populous state generated an average of 2.7 tonnes of waste in 2022-23. That's the equivalent of about three small cars being thrown out. Authority chief executive Tony Chappel praised the marked jump in renewable energy powering 34 per cent of NSW's electricity, compared to less than 20 per cent five years ago. Bet he warned about "serious" environmental concerns particularly biodiversity loss and waste management. There were now 1018 threatened species, an increase of 36 since 2020, the report found. More hot days over 35C are expected as well as severe fire weather and extreme rainfall adding to the slew of catastrophic flood events that have pummelled NSW in recent years. Plastic litter has dropped by 55 per cent, smashing the 2025 target of a 30 per cent reduction, but greater Sydney's landfill capacity is projected to run out by 2030. Waste generation has outpaced population growth, rising from 18.7 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 22.4 million tonnes in 2022-23. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the 676-page report tabled in parliament on Thursday was not all doom and gloom despite the sizeable climate challenges facing the state. The latest figures show NSW is on track to cut emissions by 46 per cent in 2030 and 62 per cent in 2035. Legislated climate targets for NSW are to reach 50 per reduction by 2030, 70 per cent by 2035, and net zero by 2050. "Our first priority is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030," she said. "We are very close - only four per cent off with five years to go. But we aren't naive. Meeting our targets will be hard." The Climate Council said the state government was making strong progress to cut climate pollution but NSW couldn't afford any more extensions being granted to polluting coal and gas projects. However, other environmental groups such as the Nature Conservation Council of NSW said the report made for a "truly alarming" read. "Nature in NSW is in deep trouble and those in power are failing to turn this alarming trajectory around," council chief executive Jacqui Mumford said. "Our state's environment is being mismanaged and until the developers, irrigators and logging companies are kicked out of government back-rooms, nothing will change." More scorching days over 35C are on the horizon, hundreds of species are considered threatened and a landfill crisis is looming with rubbish piling up rapidly, a "truly alarming" report shows. The State of the Environment 2024, released every three years by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, found each person in the most populous state generated an average of 2.7 tonnes of waste in 2022-23. That's the equivalent of about three small cars being thrown out. Authority chief executive Tony Chappel praised the marked jump in renewable energy powering 34 per cent of NSW's electricity, compared to less than 20 per cent five years ago. Bet he warned about "serious" environmental concerns particularly biodiversity loss and waste management. There were now 1018 threatened species, an increase of 36 since 2020, the report found. More hot days over 35C are expected as well as severe fire weather and extreme rainfall adding to the slew of catastrophic flood events that have pummelled NSW in recent years. Plastic litter has dropped by 55 per cent, smashing the 2025 target of a 30 per cent reduction, but greater Sydney's landfill capacity is projected to run out by 2030. Waste generation has outpaced population growth, rising from 18.7 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 22.4 million tonnes in 2022-23. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the 676-page report tabled in parliament on Thursday was not all doom and gloom despite the sizeable climate challenges facing the state. The latest figures show NSW is on track to cut emissions by 46 per cent in 2030 and 62 per cent in 2035. Legislated climate targets for NSW are to reach 50 per reduction by 2030, 70 per cent by 2035, and net zero by 2050. "Our first priority is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030," she said. "We are very close - only four per cent off with five years to go. But we aren't naive. Meeting our targets will be hard." The Climate Council said the state government was making strong progress to cut climate pollution but NSW couldn't afford any more extensions being granted to polluting coal and gas projects. However, other environmental groups such as the Nature Conservation Council of NSW said the report made for a "truly alarming" read. "Nature in NSW is in deep trouble and those in power are failing to turn this alarming trajectory around," council chief executive Jacqui Mumford said. "Our state's environment is being mismanaged and until the developers, irrigators and logging companies are kicked out of government back-rooms, nothing will change." More scorching days over 35C are on the horizon, hundreds of species are considered threatened and a landfill crisis is looming with rubbish piling up rapidly, a "truly alarming" report shows. The State of the Environment 2024, released every three years by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, found each person in the most populous state generated an average of 2.7 tonnes of waste in 2022-23. That's the equivalent of about three small cars being thrown out. Authority chief executive Tony Chappel praised the marked jump in renewable energy powering 34 per cent of NSW's electricity, compared to less than 20 per cent five years ago. Bet he warned about "serious" environmental concerns particularly biodiversity loss and waste management. There were now 1018 threatened species, an increase of 36 since 2020, the report found. More hot days over 35C are expected as well as severe fire weather and extreme rainfall adding to the slew of catastrophic flood events that have pummelled NSW in recent years. Plastic litter has dropped by 55 per cent, smashing the 2025 target of a 30 per cent reduction, but greater Sydney's landfill capacity is projected to run out by 2030. Waste generation has outpaced population growth, rising from 18.7 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 22.4 million tonnes in 2022-23. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the 676-page report tabled in parliament on Thursday was not all doom and gloom despite the sizeable climate challenges facing the state. The latest figures show NSW is on track to cut emissions by 46 per cent in 2030 and 62 per cent in 2035. Legislated climate targets for NSW are to reach 50 per reduction by 2030, 70 per cent by 2035, and net zero by 2050. "Our first priority is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030," she said. "We are very close - only four per cent off with five years to go. But we aren't naive. Meeting our targets will be hard." The Climate Council said the state government was making strong progress to cut climate pollution but NSW couldn't afford any more extensions being granted to polluting coal and gas projects. However, other environmental groups such as the Nature Conservation Council of NSW said the report made for a "truly alarming" read. "Nature in NSW is in deep trouble and those in power are failing to turn this alarming trajectory around," council chief executive Jacqui Mumford said. "Our state's environment is being mismanaged and until the developers, irrigators and logging companies are kicked out of government back-rooms, nothing will change." More scorching days over 35C are on the horizon, hundreds of species are considered threatened and a landfill crisis is looming with rubbish piling up rapidly, a "truly alarming" report shows. The State of the Environment 2024, released every three years by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, found each person in the most populous state generated an average of 2.7 tonnes of waste in 2022-23. That's the equivalent of about three small cars being thrown out. Authority chief executive Tony Chappel praised the marked jump in renewable energy powering 34 per cent of NSW's electricity, compared to less than 20 per cent five years ago. Bet he warned about "serious" environmental concerns particularly biodiversity loss and waste management. There were now 1018 threatened species, an increase of 36 since 2020, the report found. More hot days over 35C are expected as well as severe fire weather and extreme rainfall adding to the slew of catastrophic flood events that have pummelled NSW in recent years. Plastic litter has dropped by 55 per cent, smashing the 2025 target of a 30 per cent reduction, but greater Sydney's landfill capacity is projected to run out by 2030. Waste generation has outpaced population growth, rising from 18.7 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 22.4 million tonnes in 2022-23. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the 676-page report tabled in parliament on Thursday was not all doom and gloom despite the sizeable climate challenges facing the state. The latest figures show NSW is on track to cut emissions by 46 per cent in 2030 and 62 per cent in 2035. Legislated climate targets for NSW are to reach 50 per reduction by 2030, 70 per cent by 2035, and net zero by 2050. "Our first priority is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030," she said. "We are very close - only four per cent off with five years to go. But we aren't naive. Meeting our targets will be hard." The Climate Council said the state government was making strong progress to cut climate pollution but NSW couldn't afford any more extensions being granted to polluting coal and gas projects. However, other environmental groups such as the Nature Conservation Council of NSW said the report made for a "truly alarming" read. "Nature in NSW is in deep trouble and those in power are failing to turn this alarming trajectory around," council chief executive Jacqui Mumford said. "Our state's environment is being mismanaged and until the developers, irrigators and logging companies are kicked out of government back-rooms, nothing will change."
The Age
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Damning environmental scorecard as NSW abandons old Net Zero Plan
NSW is on track to miss greenhouse gas targets, its inland rivers are dying, land clearing is rampant, and the number of threatened species has increased, according to a damning new report card on the state's environmental performance. The Minns government will scrap the Net Zero Plan it inherited from the Coalition and write a new one to meet legally mandated reductions of 50 per cent by 2030, 70 per cent by 2035 and net zero by 2050. At present, it is expected to meet 46 per cent in 2030 and 62 per cent in 2035, according to the Net Zero Emissions Dashboard updated on Thursday. The 2035 outlook is now worse than it was a year ago when the NSW government first revealed it was on track to miss the targets. Minister for Climate Change and Environment Penny Sharpe said the new Net Zero Plan would take a sector-by-sector approach to decarbonisation, with input from all relevant portfolio ministers for the first time. 'The previous Net Zero Plan was done in 2020 and the numbers that were used were best-case scenario. A lot has changed since then,' Sharpe said. 'Our new plan will take in the latest information and help us reach the targets that the Minns government enshrined in law.' In parliament on Thursday, Sharpe tabled the NSW Environment Protection Authority's statutory State of the Environment report, which comes out every three years, and also the whole-of-government response to the Net Zero Commission's first annual report released in November 2024. The 676-page State of the Environment report reveals a devastating decline since the last report in 2021, and the capacity of NSW ecosystems to sustain life has been slashed to 29 per cent of its natural level since colonisation. Eighteen species of animals were added to the threatened species list since 2021, and 18 species of plants since 2020. The population and distribution of native mammals, birds and fish, and the impact of invasive species were all moderate to poor and getting worse. Without effective management, only half of the 657 plant species and half of the 991 land animal species listed as threatened are predicted to survive in 100 years' time, the report says. 'The government does not shy away from the grim reports on the environment,' Sharpe said. 'I am focused on turning this around. Action on the energy transition, biodiversity and law reform to better protect the environment is under way. Turning the dial will take time and we are honest about that.'
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Damning environmental scorecard as NSW abandons old Net Zero Plan
NSW is on track to miss greenhouse gas targets, its inland rivers are dying, land clearing is rampant, and the number of threatened species has increased, according to a damning new report card on the state's environmental performance. The Minns government will scrap the Net Zero Plan it inherited from the Coalition and write a new one to meet legally mandated reductions of 50 per cent by 2030, 70 per cent by 2035 and net zero by 2050. At present, it is expected to meet 46 per cent in 2030 and 62 per cent in 2035, according to the Net Zero Emissions Dashboard updated on Thursday. The 2035 outlook is now worse than it was a year ago when the NSW government first revealed it was on track to miss the targets. Minister for Climate Change and Environment Penny Sharpe said the new Net Zero Plan would take a sector-by-sector approach to decarbonisation, with input from all relevant portfolio ministers for the first time. 'The previous Net Zero Plan was done in 2020 and the numbers that were used were best-case scenario. A lot has changed since then,' Sharpe said. 'Our new plan will take in the latest information and help us reach the targets that the Minns government enshrined in law.' In parliament on Thursday, Sharpe tabled the NSW Environment Protection Authority's statutory State of the Environment report, which comes out every three years, and also the whole-of-government response to the Net Zero Commission's first annual report released in November 2024. The 676-page State of the Environment report reveals a devastating decline since the last report in 2021, and the capacity of NSW ecosystems to sustain life has been slashed to 29 per cent of its natural level since colonisation. Eighteen species of animals were added to the threatened species list since 2021, and 18 species of plants since 2020. The population and distribution of native mammals, birds and fish, and the impact of invasive species were all moderate to poor and getting worse. Without effective management, only half of the 657 plant species and half of the 991 land animal species listed as threatened are predicted to survive in 100 years' time, the report says. 'The government does not shy away from the grim reports on the environment,' Sharpe said. 'I am focused on turning this around. Action on the energy transition, biodiversity and law reform to better protect the environment is under way. Turning the dial will take time and we are honest about that.'
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Climate
- Perth Now
Emission targets on track but nature in 'deep trouble'
More scorching days over 35C are on the horizon, hundreds of species are considered threatened and a landfill crisis is looming with rubbish piling up rapidly, a "truly alarming" report shows. The State of the Environment 2024, released every three years by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, found each person in the most populous state generated an average of 2.7 tonnes of waste in 2022-23. That's the equivalent of about three small cars being thrown out. Authority chief executive Tony Chappel praised the marked jump in renewable energy powering 34 per cent of NSW's electricity, compared to less than 20 per cent five years ago. Bet he warned about "serious" environmental concerns particularly biodiversity loss and waste management. There were now 1018 threatened species, an increase of 36 since 2020, the report found. More hot days over 35C are expected as well as severe fire weather and extreme rainfall adding to the slew of catastrophic flood events that have pummelled NSW in recent years. Plastic litter has dropped by 55 per cent, smashing the 2025 target of a 30 per cent reduction, but greater Sydney's landfill capacity is projected to run out by 2030. Waste generation has outpaced population growth, rising from 18.7 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 22.4 million tonnes in 2022-23. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the 676-page report tabled in parliament on Thursday was not all doom and gloom despite the sizeable climate challenges facing the state. The latest figures show NSW is on track to cut emissions by 46 per cent in 2030 and 62 per cent in 2035. Legislated climate targets for NSW are to reach 50 per reduction by 2030, 70 per cent by 2035, and net zero by 2050. "Our first priority is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030," she said. "We are very close - only four per cent off with five years to go. But we aren't naive. Meeting our targets will be hard." The Climate Council said the state government was making strong progress to cut climate pollution but NSW couldn't afford any more extensions being granted to polluting coal and gas projects. However, other environmental groups such as the Nature Conservation Council of NSW said the report made for a "truly alarming" read. "Nature in NSW is in deep trouble and those in power are failing to turn this alarming trajectory around," council chief executive Jacqui Mumford said. "Our state's environment is being mismanaged and until the developers, irrigators and logging companies are kicked out of government back-rooms, nothing will change."
The Advertiser
30-05-2025
- Science
- The Advertiser
Manufacturer 3M on notice for 'silent' but toxic PFAS
A set of "dangerous and insidious" chemicals detected at a river near a World Heritage site have been traced back to a former quarry used by manufacturing giant 3M. PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says. The environment authority has for the first time issued a notice and taken regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm. The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam. While "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site, the environment regulator said. However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park. The levels found were above the national drinking guidelines. Ian Wright, an environmental science professor at Western Sydney University, said more data needs to be gathered about the "dangerous and insidious" chemicals. "The Capertee River is just upstream of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area so it has extremely high biodiversity values," he told AAP. "Because these chemicals build and build ... it's a silent burden that humans and animals are carrying around ... that could have very poor health outcomes." PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease. They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly. Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water. Even though the environment authority commended 3M for its co-operation, it said this is only the first step in what is likely a complex and lengthy remediation process to follow. Dr Wright warned this could be the beginning of a protracted legal battle to ascertain whether 3M or the local council ends up cleaning up the chemicals. "It's probably contaminated forever ... once the contamination is there, it's there for multiple lifetimes," he said. High-level contamination was detected in the drinking water catchment serving 30,000 people in the Blue Mountains in mid-2024. An eight-month WaterNSW investigation released earlier in May found contamination of two dams used for Blue Mountains drinking water may have occurred after separate motor vehicle accident sites on the Great Western Highway in 1992 and 2002 near the Medlow Bath township. The town's fire station was also a possible source of contamination. Test samples at all three sites revealed the chemical compound signature consistent with the historical use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam, banned nationwide in 2007. Under the authority's clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution. "This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," the authority's operations director David Gathercole said. "Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination." The company has been contacted for comment. A set of "dangerous and insidious" chemicals detected at a river near a World Heritage site have been traced back to a former quarry used by manufacturing giant 3M. PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says. The environment authority has for the first time issued a notice and taken regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm. The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam. While "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site, the environment regulator said. However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park. The levels found were above the national drinking guidelines. Ian Wright, an environmental science professor at Western Sydney University, said more data needs to be gathered about the "dangerous and insidious" chemicals. "The Capertee River is just upstream of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area so it has extremely high biodiversity values," he told AAP. "Because these chemicals build and build ... it's a silent burden that humans and animals are carrying around ... that could have very poor health outcomes." PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease. They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly. Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water. Even though the environment authority commended 3M for its co-operation, it said this is only the first step in what is likely a complex and lengthy remediation process to follow. Dr Wright warned this could be the beginning of a protracted legal battle to ascertain whether 3M or the local council ends up cleaning up the chemicals. "It's probably contaminated forever ... once the contamination is there, it's there for multiple lifetimes," he said. High-level contamination was detected in the drinking water catchment serving 30,000 people in the Blue Mountains in mid-2024. An eight-month WaterNSW investigation released earlier in May found contamination of two dams used for Blue Mountains drinking water may have occurred after separate motor vehicle accident sites on the Great Western Highway in 1992 and 2002 near the Medlow Bath township. The town's fire station was also a possible source of contamination. Test samples at all three sites revealed the chemical compound signature consistent with the historical use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam, banned nationwide in 2007. Under the authority's clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution. "This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," the authority's operations director David Gathercole said. "Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination." The company has been contacted for comment. A set of "dangerous and insidious" chemicals detected at a river near a World Heritage site have been traced back to a former quarry used by manufacturing giant 3M. PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says. The environment authority has for the first time issued a notice and taken regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm. The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam. While "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site, the environment regulator said. However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park. The levels found were above the national drinking guidelines. Ian Wright, an environmental science professor at Western Sydney University, said more data needs to be gathered about the "dangerous and insidious" chemicals. "The Capertee River is just upstream of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area so it has extremely high biodiversity values," he told AAP. "Because these chemicals build and build ... it's a silent burden that humans and animals are carrying around ... that could have very poor health outcomes." PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease. They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly. Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water. Even though the environment authority commended 3M for its co-operation, it said this is only the first step in what is likely a complex and lengthy remediation process to follow. Dr Wright warned this could be the beginning of a protracted legal battle to ascertain whether 3M or the local council ends up cleaning up the chemicals. "It's probably contaminated forever ... once the contamination is there, it's there for multiple lifetimes," he said. High-level contamination was detected in the drinking water catchment serving 30,000 people in the Blue Mountains in mid-2024. An eight-month WaterNSW investigation released earlier in May found contamination of two dams used for Blue Mountains drinking water may have occurred after separate motor vehicle accident sites on the Great Western Highway in 1992 and 2002 near the Medlow Bath township. The town's fire station was also a possible source of contamination. Test samples at all three sites revealed the chemical compound signature consistent with the historical use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam, banned nationwide in 2007. Under the authority's clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution. "This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," the authority's operations director David Gathercole said. "Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination." The company has been contacted for comment. A set of "dangerous and insidious" chemicals detected at a river near a World Heritage site have been traced back to a former quarry used by manufacturing giant 3M. PFAS soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water have been found across a 100-hectare area of the inactive Brogans Creek lime quarry northwest of the Blue Mountains, the NSW Environment Protection Authority says. The environment authority has for the first time issued a notice and taken regulatory action against 3M and its local Australian arm. The quarry, in the state's central west, was historically used by 3M to test PFAS-containing firefighting foam. While "the scale of the onsite contamination is significant", there is limited human exposure because of the remoteness of the site, the environment regulator said. However, it found some of the chemicals eight kilometres downstream in the Capertee River within a national park. The levels found were above the national drinking guidelines. Ian Wright, an environmental science professor at Western Sydney University, said more data needs to be gathered about the "dangerous and insidious" chemicals. "The Capertee River is just upstream of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area so it has extremely high biodiversity values," he told AAP. "Because these chemicals build and build ... it's a silent burden that humans and animals are carrying around ... that could have very poor health outcomes." PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals used for their resistance to heat, stains and grease. They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they break down extremely slowly. Emerging evidence has linked some PFAS to cancer, leading to tighter regulation of the substances, particularly in drinking water. Even though the environment authority commended 3M for its co-operation, it said this is only the first step in what is likely a complex and lengthy remediation process to follow. Dr Wright warned this could be the beginning of a protracted legal battle to ascertain whether 3M or the local council ends up cleaning up the chemicals. "It's probably contaminated forever ... once the contamination is there, it's there for multiple lifetimes," he said. High-level contamination was detected in the drinking water catchment serving 30,000 people in the Blue Mountains in mid-2024. An eight-month WaterNSW investigation released earlier in May found contamination of two dams used for Blue Mountains drinking water may have occurred after separate motor vehicle accident sites on the Great Western Highway in 1992 and 2002 near the Medlow Bath township. The town's fire station was also a possible source of contamination. Test samples at all three sites revealed the chemical compound signature consistent with the historical use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam, banned nationwide in 2007. Under the authority's clean-up notice, 3M Australia has 60 days to submit a detailed plan to manage PFAS pollution. "This is a significant moment for the EPA and one that represents an important milestone in our efforts to address legacy environmental harm," the authority's operations director David Gathercole said. "Though this is only the first step ... 3M has so far been co-operative voluntarily offering to conduct investigation to better understand the extent and legacy of PFAS contamination." The company has been contacted for comment.
