21 November, 2024.
My question is directed to the Premier. In light of a lack of waste facilities in Sydney and the risk to the environment from microplastic releases, what is the Government's view on the rising concerns around PFAS and microplastic processing near Sydney drinking water catchment areas?
Mr CHRIS MINNS (Kogarah—Premier): I thank the member for Wollondilly for her question. She is right—this is an emerging problem for the New South Wales Government and across the country. PFAS, or forever chemicals, have become particularly acute in the electorate of the member for Port Stephens, with the air force base up there, and also in the Blue Mountains. Historical firefighting retardant used in those parts of New South Wales has, unfortunately, risked the water supply in those communities. We have minimum standards, and those minimum standards have been applied. The vast majority of drinking water in New South Wales meets those standards.
The Commonwealth Government has indicated that soon it will change the requirements for PFAS minimum designations in the years ahead. That means we have to make changes to meet the new standard. We are confident we can do that in the vast majority of our tertiary treated water facilities in New South Wales, but there are certainly actions that we need to take, particularly when we consider that New South Wales produces one‑third of Australia's waste every year, we will run out of landfill space by 2030 and recycling rates in the State have, unfortunately, remained stagnant since 2016. There is a big hill to climb to get recycling back on track, ensure that we can protect our drinking water supply right across the State and ensure that we are compliant with changing standards, which are largely driven by the United States. But, as I have said, in recent months the Commonwealth has indicated that it will apply those standards to New South Wales too.
I can inform the House that while the Federal Government is looking at banning and phasing out all forms of PFAS through its Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard—and we want to support it in that work—the Minister for the Environment is also looking at a waste infrastructure plan for the State. That is complex work because it involves land use management. We must make sure that they are well located in communities that can take them and that we do not use viable land for housing, but we must start considering where those forever chemicals storage facilities are going to go and whether we are growing enough space for waste in New South Wales in the years ahead. It is firmly on our radar. We must make sure that those decisions are timely, but all the evidence is available to us. I assure the House that the Environment Protection Authority is working with the Minister for the Environment to develop that plan and roll it out in the months ahead.