BY OLIVIA DILLON
Community members are calling for Salt Ash Public School to be closed, after elevated PFAS levels were detected on the playground.
The contamination caused by firefighting foam leaking from the nearby RAAF base previously resulted in the school having to switch from its own water bore to town water back in 2018.
In a notification sent to parents, the Department of Education said it would implement some minor additional measures to reduce the risk to students, staff and visitors, including covering the sandpit on the playground and installing synthetic turf on the premises.
However, residents say it’s not enough, arguing the school should be closed, and community blood testing should be introduced to help monitor student exposure.