The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) is calling on the federal and state governments to implement PFAS controls now. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured chemicals that have gained significant attention due to their potential impacts on human health and the environment. As recently reported in The Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age newspapers, there are considerable and increasing health concerns regarding PFAS in the human body.

Under the current government proposal, only three out of the over 4,000 types of PFAS compounds in existence are to be banned from importation to Australia from July 1, 2025.

This level of PFAS control is simply not going far enough soon enough, as Mr. Peter Wadewitz, OAM, Chair of AORA, commented. PFAS are widely used in various consumer and industrial products due to their special properties. They are known for their water and oil repellent characteristics, heat resistance, and non-stick qualities. As a result, PFAS has been used in products like non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, carpets, food packaging, personal care products such as dental floss and shampoo, firefighting foams, and more. However, their widespread use and persistence have raised concerns about their potential long-term effects.

We are seeing some state jurisdictions in Australia implementing PFAS limits in processes such as compost production, Mr. Wadewitz noted. Currently, governments allow PFAS to be used or applied widely without any regulation, but the same governments then regulate it in end-of-life recycling processes such as composting. The current regulatory approach puts the most established and advanced recycling technology, composting, at risk.

Currently, 7.7 million metric tonnes of organic material are diverted away from landfills every year; the very real risk is that this material will end up back in landfills again. This will result in increased emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, and the nutrient value of organic matter will be lost forever instead of improving our soil health and productivity. Australia’s stated position of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to nett zero by 2030 is directly contradicted by this. None of this makes sense to any reasonable person. This outcome is in complete contradiction to all federal and state government policies requiring the diversion of organic materials away from landfills.

Australia has to implement meaningful and wide-spread PFAS controls now. This issue is not going to go away, and trying to manage it in an end-of-life product scenario will not work. Once the PFAS genie is out of the bottle, and it is, placing controls on industries such as the Australian organics recycling industry to manage the PFAS issue is irrational and inappropriate. We urgently need the federal and state governments to regulate the source by banning or at least restricting its use in order to effectively manage the PFAS issue.

Justin Lance Marcel Lavadia

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Justin Lavadia is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum with a diverse writing background spanning various niches and formats. With a wealth of experience, he brings clarity and concise communication to digital content. His expertise lies in crafting engaging content and delivering impactful narratives that resonate with readers.

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