PFAS

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as perfluorinated chemicals, are a class of manufactured chemicals. These have been used since the 1950s to make commercial and industrial products that resist:

heat
stains
grease and
water, including:
- ‘Scotchguard'
- non-stick cookware products and
- fire-fighting foams.

There are many types of PFAS, with the best known examples being perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate acid (PFHxS).

Current evidence indicates that exposure to some PFAS or forever chemicals, particularly the well-studied compounds PFOA and PFOS, are associated with adverse health effects in humans. Significant uncertainties remain about the health effects of many newer replacement compounds, however, due to the persistence of PFAS human exposure should be minimised as a precaution.

For more information on PFAS, go to the Australian Government's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website.

Northern Territory response and strategy

The Northern Territory Government is represented on the PFAS National Coordinating Body that was established in September 2025 to improve the national response to PFAS contamination. The National Coordinating Body is overseen by the Assistant Minister for Defence.

For more information on PFAS national coordination, go to the Australian Government's Defence website.

In the NT, the regulation of PFAS contamination follows a risk-based, purpose-driven approach in line with the broader regulation of contaminated land. This approach prioritises regulation where people or sensitive environments are directly affected by the contamination, or where a change in land use requires assessment of a site to determine if it is fit for the intended future purpose.

PFAS NEMP

Australia's Environment Ministers PDF (10.0 KB) have endorsed the country's PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP).

The PFAS NEMP provides governments with a consistent, practical and risk-based framework for the environmental regulation of PFAS-contaminated materials and sites. The PFAS NEMP has been developed as an adaptive plan, able to respond to emerging research and knowledge.

The PFAS NEMP is a reference on the state of knowledge related to the environmental regulation of PFAS. It represents a how-to guide for the investigation and management of PFAS contamination and waste management, including recommended approaches, which will be called upon to inform actions by EPAs and other regulators.

The NEMP is updated from time to time. Read the PFAS NEMP 3.0 and the NT EPA’s position statement on the transition from NEMP 2.0 PDF (73.6 KB).

Water monitoring

Power and Water Corporation (PWC) carries out an extensive sampling program throughout the year on its drinking water sources, in accordance with Department of Health approvals and the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).

Further information can be found at PWC PFAS Monitoring.

2019 revised enHealth guidance statements

The National Health and Medical Research Council has released Guidance on Per and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Recreational Water 2019 PDF (1.1 MB).

enHealth have also released factsheets relating to this guidance document that are listed below:

Factsheet – enHealth Guidance Statement PDF (241.4 KB) on per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Statement – enHealth PFAS Guidance Statement PDF (615.1 KB)

Eating fish containing PFAS chemicals

Some wild-caught fish species and bushfoods in certain areas of the Top End contain small amounts of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The health risk of PFAS increases if fish, shellfish or crustaceans from contaminated areas are eaten regularly over a long period. Risks to tourists and visitors who may occasionally eat fish from the affected areas are very low.

You can still safely eat fish from the Top End, but some types of fish, shellfish and crustaceans should be limited because of higher PFAS levels.

You should limit the amount of fish you eat from the following areas:

Katherine River (between Donkey Camp Weir and Daly River)
Tindal Creek
Rapid Creek
Ludmilla Creek.

For information about fishing in Darwin creeks refer to Fishing in Darwin creeks fact sheet PDF (102.7 KB) and the Fishing in Darwin creeks poster PDF (582.2 KB).

For information about fishing in the Katherine area refer to Fishing in Katherine area creeks fact sheet PDF (202.8 KB) and the Fishing in Katherine area poster PDF (563.0 KB).

For further information refer to the NT Government website.

Australia Department of Defence

In September 2015 the Department of Defence and NSW Environment Protection Authority released information about the discovery of chemical contamination from PFAS in surface water, ground water and fish, near the Williamtown RAAF base in the Hunter Valley.

Further contamination has been identified around the Oakey RAAF base in Queensland and the former Country Fire Authority (CFA) Training College in Fiskville, Victoria.

The Department of Defence has carried out investigations to characterise the presence of PFAS compounds near RAAF Base Darwin, RAAF Base Tindal and Robertson Barracks.

Further information can be obtained on the Department of Defence PFAS Investigation and Management program.