Area-wide Contaminated Land Issues

​​​Cases of contamination that are or have been managed by the EPA, and which may be of public interest.  ​​​

  • PFAS Contamination
    Perfluorinated compounds (known as PFAS) are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been used worldwide since the 1950s in a range of domestic and industrial products, particularly those that resist heat, stains, grease and water. PFAS are contaminants of global concern because of their widespread use and the fact that they do not break down naturally. They have been found in various concentrations throughout the world and are probably present in small amounts in all people.​
  • Prosser River Fuel Contamination Investigations
    Hydrocarbon (fuel) contamination associated with the former Service Station at 44 Tasman Highway, Orford was detected below the ground surface in some places along a section of the Prosser River foreshore known as Radar Beach.
  • Rosebery, Lutana and parts of Hobart's Eastern Shore
    The EPA is reviewing the metal lead in environments in Lutana, Hobart’s Eastern Shore, and Rosebery. A preliminary EPA assessment commencing in late 2024 focussed on Nyrstar’s zinc smelter in Hobart and MMG’s mine at Rosebery. As part of this, EPA staff carried out dust sampling in Lutana, adjacent to Nyrstar zinc smelter site and across the river on the Eastern Shore, and reviewed dust deposition data including from the dust sampling program undertaken by MMG around its mine in Rosebery. These initial results show lead is present in dust in these areas. Extensive studies were last conducted around 2008, so it is timely to re-examine offsite dust migration from both sites, to check for any changes in environmental lead, and other metals potentially relevant to the health of nearby communities.