pfas

The Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland has continued to expand, contributing to rapid population growth in the surrounding area. There are approximately 17,500 military, civilian, contractors and nonappropriated fund personnel that work at the Naval Air Station on a normal day. But with expansion comes higher scrutiny on environmental impacts, and Patuxent River NAS has definitely made an impact.

America’s longest war, Afghanistan, recently came to an abrupt end but the problems left behind are just beginning. Over the course of two decades, the US military has operated in country establishing and maintaining several bases, air fields and facilities, or adding new ones. As part of these facilities, hangars and other areas utilized the same fire suppression equipment and chemicals found on almost 700 bases within the United States: aqueous film-forming foams containing PFAS.

Toxic chemicals have been found in water near the Chemours plant near Wilmington, NC. Wells at least 16 miles away from the facility have tested positive for potentially toxic compounds, with more than 4660 wells having at least one of the compounds.

A recent and growing concern within the US military system, the use of PFAS has caused quite a problem. Contamination on military bases with PFAS has been prolific, as the chemical is primarily used and found on bases in AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) used at air bases for fire suppression. From automated suppression systems in hangars to basic firefighting use, AFFF has been predominant for some time.

Two wells bordering the base’s southern edge have been found to have potentially harmful levels of PFAS from firefighting foams used on the base. Chemical studies show that this “forever chemical” can have harmful impacts on health, from cancer to immune and endocrine system deficiencies and more.

Providing drinking water under the EPA’s 70 part per trillion (ppt) advisory still allows for people to consume dangerous levels of the toxins, considering that the nation’s top public health officials say 1 ppt in drinking water is likely to be dangerous.

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The military is engaged in a campaign to convince the public that the PFAS contamination it has caused on military bases around the world is being cleaned up and that it is safeguarding public health by complying with the EPA’s lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion in drinking water. For the most part, both claims are false.

PFAS, or per- and poly fluoroalkyl substances, are extraordinarily toxic, bio accumulative, and they never break down in nature. The chemicals are linked to a host of cancers and they threaten the unborn fetus in the tiniest amounts. They are extremely dangerous.

The Department of Defense through the Defense Logistics Agency, (DLA) is rushing to incinerate its remaining supplies of fire-fighting foam and associated bulk materials containing highly fluorinated, toxic PFOS & PFOA chemicals. Incineration is incapable of completely breaking down the substances. Scientists argue the practice is “raining down a witch’s brew” of poisonous substances that are linked to a host of cancers.