SAMPLING at Lake Macquarie as part of the NSW Government’s ongoing response to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination at various sites across the state has found that PFAS exposure through consumption of fish and crustaceans caught in this estuary does not pose a risk to fishers or their families.
The sampling program also took in testing to gain a better understanding of legacy heavy metal contamination at Lake Macquarie. Testing found levels of cadmium above relevant screening criteria in crabs from Lake Macquarie. To minimise exposure to cadmium, consumption of crabs caught in Lake Macquarie should be limited to:
- 3 servings per month for a child less than 6 years of age – one child’s serving equates to 75 grams of edible crab meat, and
- 6 servings per month for all other ages – one serving for all other ages equates to 150 grams of edible crab meat.
