Protecting against pollution

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manufactured chemicals used in products that resist heat, oil, stains and water. These chemicals have been used in a range of industrial and consumer products for many decades, including fire-fighting foams known as Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF).

In the past decade there has been increasing state and federal regulation and movement away from products containing these chemicals, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as they pose risk to both human and ecological health.

As part of Qantas Group’s commitment to protecting human health and the environment, Qantas is undertaking a PFAS foam transition program that seeks to remove PFAS-containing firefighting foams from all Qantas Group hangars globally, and replace with a PFAS-free alternative.

Aircraft noise pollution

All Qantas Group aircraft meet or exceed the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) aircraft noise pollution standards. The Group’s approach to aircraft noise pollution management is consistent with the four elements that have been recommended by ICAO, the international body responsible for setting and recommending aircraft noise standards and practices.

The Qantas Group is participating in government-led noise reduction advisory forums and supports community engagement, ensuring we minimise our noise footprint as far as possible. We support noise abatement initiatives that do not increase track miles, which subsequently increases CO2 emissions. The fleet renewal program will address this critical issue with the introduction of quieter aircraft.

The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) provides the community, industry, and government with free information about substance emissions in Australia. It has emission estimates for 93 toxic substances and the source and location of these emissions. The Qantas Group is required under Commonwealth legislation to report our emissions and transfers across our Australian facilities annually to the Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment.