Update at 1450hr
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is continuing to monitor air and water quality from the West Footscray factory fire and is entering the clean-up phase.
MFB has done a huge amount of work to bring the fire under control and EPA will continue to monitor air and water quality.
EPA understands Melbourne Water operational staff have been onsite at Stony Creek since yesterday morning. They have installed a number of booms to capture as much debris, oil and foam as possible and so far have already removed 30 million litres of impact water from the creek.
EPA has also begun conducting on-ground testing on site and in the local area.
EPA Chief Environmental Scientist Dr Andrea Hinwood said officers would test for contaminants including asbestos, though the risk is very low.
“Research has shown that building fires involving asbestos-containing materials do not result in levels of asbestos fibres in the surrounding area high enough to cause a risk to health,” she said.
“This is because during a fire the amount of asbestos fibres released into the air is relatively low.
“Asbestos fibres change their mineral structure after prolonged heating, often losing their fibrous nature. The degraded material does not pose a risk to health.”
The fire-fighting foam used by MFB to combat the factory fire did not contain PFAS.
EPA will work with other agencies involved to investigate any breaches of the Environment Protection Act.
As is usual practice, EPA will participate in an all-agencies review of the incident.