HOW worried should we be about the PFAS water contamination at Svensson Heights?
As authorities continue to investigate where the contamination came from, the Bundaberg community is asking questions.
What will the long term effects of the chemical be on people exposed to it?
Last year Environmental Scientist at Macquarie University Professor Mark Taylor spoke with ABC radio with concerns about the exposure to the chemicals.
"We don’t know what the safe levels of lower exposure is,” he told Kate O’Toole.
"If you and I had PFAS on our Cornflakes this morning, pure PFAS, we wouldn’t be around to talk about it.” Since the Per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances was found in the Svensson Heights water Queensland Health has advised that there is no immediate risk to human health.
The Department said whether PFAS caused health problems in humans was currently unknown, but on current evidence the potential for adverse health effects cannot be excluded.
Prof Taylor said at this stage we didn’t know what the safe level of low exposure was.
He said early concerns for toxic chemicals were ultimately justified.