Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is again reminding duck hunters in the Gippsland area about its advice not to consume PFAS (per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances) affected eel, carp and duck taken from the Heart and Dowd Morass area. This includes any part of the animals, including duck breast.
A new Government report on human health impacts from PFAS did not find a direct link to disease but could not completely rule out the possibility.
“We are still in the process of fully evaluating the report, but EPA will always err on the side of caution and given the high presence of PFAS in previous tests on Heart Morass animals, our advice not to consume remains in place,” said EPA Chief Environmental Scientist Dr Andrea Hinwood.
EPA continues to work with responsible land owners including Department of Defence, (DoD) to ensure all PFAS present in Victoria at elevated levels are identified and managed.
PFAS are a group of man-made substances, many of which are in widespread and common use including in historic firefighting foams and in home products like non-stick pans and carpet treatments. PFAS can persist in humans for many years.
This is a complex issue and EPA is leading an interagency group to develop a comprehensive statewide survey of biota including nomadic and resident ducks.