Australian government lowers safe exposure levels of toxic firefighting chemicals

Move brings tolerable daily intake levels in line with US standards and follows months of controversy over contaminations near airports and military bases

The federal government has dramatically lowered the safe exposure levels of toxic firefighting chemicals, following months of controversy over contaminations detected near airports and military bases.

The new tolerable daily intake levels (TDIs) of the polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals - used in firefighting foam for decades until the early 2000s but now known to be toxic - are now in line with US standards, but authorities have warned the long-term effects of exposure remain unknown.