Melbourne Airport has confirmed contamination caused by toxic chemicals, historically used in firefighting foams at the site, has spread beyond the airport boundaries.
The MAA will also ask residents and landholders whether they use the surface water flowing through local waterways on their properties.
"At some times of the year, some of our off-airport testing locations recorded per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in surface water above the current Australian Government guidelines," he said.
Based on current information available to the ABC it is unclear how far this contamination has spread.
The Australian Government maintains there is limited evidence of links between the chemicals and disease, but notes health effects cannot not be ruled out based on the current facts.
In October last year the ABC confirmed PFAS chemicals have been detected at more than 70 sites across the country, including Defence bases, civilian and aviation firefighting facilities, and at industrial sites like Esso Australia’s gas plant in Longford in Victoria’s south east.
Toxic foam used at airport training ground, reports show The ABC pursued an investigation into contamination at Melbourne Airport after former and current aviation firefighters raised concerns about the amount of the toxic, aqueous-film forming firefighting foam (AFFF) used in the past, at the Melbourne Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Services’ old training ground at the airport.
Airservices Australia, the federal government agency responsible for the aviation firefighting service at Melbourne Airport, has been investigating current levels of PFAS contamination at that site.
The ABC understands that training ground is just one of several locations around the airport where the toxic foam has been used.
Melbourne Airport confirmed it has been undertaking clean-up activities on the site, which includes digging up contaminated soil.