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    • Land

    At GPC, we love our local area. Our region is one of the most beautiful in Australia, and we take pride in the landscape and natural environment. We aim to manage our land responsibly to ensure no environmental legacy risks for future generations.

    This is done by understanding if contamination has occurred from previous land uses (e.g oil Spills, PFAS) or exposure of acid sulfate soils in low-lying coastal land. This is coupled with prevention of any further contamination sources by environmentally sound management and soil / activity monitoring for project works. 

    PFAS

    In 2016, the Queensland Government introduced a policy phasing out the use of firefighting foams containing per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. The policy came into effect in July 2019. Under the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 (Qld), PFAS is considered to be a regulated waste. 

    Testing for PFAS 

    In 2018 GPC undertook and completed voluntary preliminary and validation groundwater testing at its three ports – Rockhampton, Gladstone and Bundaberg. Some elevated concentrations of PFAS were detected on Port Land at Port Central (Gladstone) and the Port of Bundaberg. The levels were evaluated according to the Department of Health’s Recreational Water Guidelines (Commonwealth). There were no exceedances of the national guidelines at the Port of Rockhampton. 

    In response to the groundwater results, GPC conducted a broader scope of sampling including a pilot seafood sampling program in Ship Creek at Port Central. GPC undertook the sampling in accordance with the Queensland Health: Guideline for sampling and analysis of seafood suitable for human health risk assessments of PFAS contamination. Results from the preliminary sampling show traces of PFAS above the Food Standards Australia New Zealand trigger points for investigation in fish caught at one location in Ship Creek. These results were submitted to the Queensland Department of Health and the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation. Please refer to the Queensland Government website for the latest Queensland Health advice.

    GPC completed its voluntary preliminary and validation groundwater testing, and seafood sampling where relevant at its three ports.