Forever chemicals found to be reaching Lake Rotorua, calls for urgent PFAS testing

Forever chemicals have been detected in Lake Rotorua, prompting calls for urgent testing and renewed questions about the safety of food gathered from the lake.

Investigators found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or forever chemicals, moving through groundwater into the lake from a former firefighting training area on Rotorua Airport land.

The findings prompted tense debate at Tuesday's Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group meeting, where members expressed frustration that months after contamination was identified, no agency had taken responsibility for further assessment.

Rotorua Airport phased out PFAS-containing firefighting foams in the 2000s as New Zealand moved away from the chemicals.

But PFAS chemicals can remain in soil and water for decades, and some have been linked to cancers, liver damage, reduced fertility and other health effects.