Fire-fighting crews on the apron at airports in New Zealand have been notified that a foam used for tackling fires contains a prohibited and potentially dangerous chemical.
Barrels of foam used to tackle fires on the apron at Palmerston North airport tested positive for perfluorooctanesulfonic acids or PFOS.
Further testing demonstrated that the chemical was also found at Gisborne and Hawkes Bay airports.
The airports have been asked to detail step-by-step plans in order to resolve the problem.
