EWG is pressing lawmakers to include all of the PFAS amendments in the bill Congress sends to President Trump for his consideration. Military Bases & Water Contamination: Whats the Link? He insisted, however, that no military personnel or family members whose drinking water comes from Defense Department-managed water sources are consuming levels of PFAS higher than the lifetime health advisory limit. PFAS behave like surfactants, like soaps, says Prof Crispin Halsall, an environmental chemist at Lancaster University. Now you have a liability. In the absence of a Congressional order, they would continue to be a bad neighbor, he said. You can learn more about the difference between class action and individual lawsuits here. The former england air force base in alexandria, louisiana was the most severely contaminated place we visited, with 10,970,000 parts per trillion of pfas in the groundwater. The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. He was in Honolulu to talk about his new documentary film, Nuchi nu Miji - Okinawa's Water of Life, about the forever chemicals, U.S. military presence on the island, and the importance of water. Congress should also do more to alert active and retired service members and their families about their exposure to PFAS and the health risks they face as a result. The 24-million gallon leak at a. Sample results are summarized in table below. Originally from Guam, she spent more than 30 years at KITV, covering beats from government to education. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) opened Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts in 1942. Its estimated that, given the widespread use of PFAS and the ubiquitous presence of some of them in the environment, almost everyone on the planet has PFAS in their blood at some level. Several Oklahomans living near Tinker Air Force Base are having health issues . The military services no longer use PFAS-based firefighting foam in land-based training and, when it is used in emergencies, the site is treated as an environmental cleanup zone after, McMahon said. They raise the number of Army installations with known PFAS contamination of drinking water or groundwater from 18 to 108, and the total number of military installations with known contamination from 207 to 297. Some states have set limits ranging from 11 ppt to 20 ppt. Those groundwater sites will be added to the departments long list of environmental cleanup responsibilities it has at each of its more than 2,900 facilities around the world, and will prioritize that cleanup based on risk. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (DMAFB) is located within the Tucson basin, a northwest trending alluvial valley. Arvos health problems since his service at the base include breast tumors, which are relatively unusual in men; kidney surgeries; severe headaches, a degenerative brain condition and a recent diagnosis of cancer of the spine. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. There are lots of potential sources of PFAS pollution. For example, at Peterson Air Force Base, in some water sources the PFAS/PFOA count is as high as 7,910 ppt. Explore the latest news, articles and features, This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original, Island-hopping cougars swim kilometres through icy water off US coast, Were starting to understand how viruses trigger chronic conditions. Suite 1000 The base and surrounding area have been switched to a city ofOscodadrinking water supply that comes from nearbyLake Huronand does not include the contaminants at unsafe levels. Because PFAS never break down and they build up in our blood and organs, they are often known as forever chemicals.. Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island (AULT Field) 160. These chemicals cause a variety of really, really dangerous health effects. The Defense Department identified 401 active and Base Closure and Realignment installations in the United States with at least one area where there was a known or suspected release of perfluorinated compounds. The harmful, hard-to-eliminate toxins. "We are committed to ensuring that we have a safe place for our people and their families to live, work, play and pray," McMahon said. Twenty-four of those had drinking water contamination at levels higher than the Environmental Protection Agency's lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion. TheU.S. Environmental Protection Agencysmaximum contaminant level for TCE in drinking water, above which long-term exposure could be expected to harm health, is 5 parts per billion. Chocolates and heart-shaped pastilles with cutesy phrases like QT Pie are sweet. This persistence means the PFAS burden is ever growing, so much so that a group of scientists have concluded that the global spread of just four PFAS in the atmosphere has led to the planetary boundary for chemical pollution being exceeded, raising risks to the stability of the Earth system. PFAS are man-made chemicals used in products worldwide since the 1950s, including firefighting foam, non . EWG has found 28 bases with PFAS in drinking water at levels above those set by some state regulators. Thats why most PFAS health scandals in the US and Europe have been related to contaminated drinking water supplies. Each base should have its water information posted, Sullivan said. These forever chemicals pollute water, dont break down, and remain in the environment and people for decades. "We've spent about $200 million a year for 10 years; that would be $2 billion. Air Force Civil Engineer Center conducts drinking water sampling at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan. Service members who work at these facilities and the people who live nearby are likely drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals at concentrations that raise serious health concerns. Aside from chemicals manufacturing plants, any site that has regularly used PFOS-laden aqueous film-forming firefighting foams, such as airfields, military bases and firefighting training grounds, could in theory contaminate soils, air and water in the vicinity. Copyright 2023, Environmental Working Group. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are handling these cases on a contingency-fee basis. . All rights reserved. Two kinds of toxic "forever chemicals" widely found in drinking water after decades of use in consumer products and certain industries are more dangerous than . Thats bad news because many PFAS also tend to bioaccumulate, which means they are absorbed by organisms faster than they can be excreted and will build up over time. The Marine Corps is eliminating the scout sniper program as part of the service's big Force Design 2030 overhaul. Wurtsmith veterans, or their family members, who have questions about potential exposures to TCE and benzene in base drinking water in the 1970s can call District Health Department No. Through FOIAs, EWG has discovered that many of the highest PFAS detections in the nation have been found on or near military installations. They have also been linked to low birthweight, birth defects, delayed development and newborn deaths in laboratory animals. A system that breaks down so-called forever chemicals with extreme heat and pressure will be tested at two US Air Force bases and a Navy base, The 3D molecular structure of perfluorobutanoic acid, a type of PFAS forever chemicalShutterstock/Sergei Shimanovich, The 3D molecular structure of perfluorobutanoic acid, a type of PFAS forever chemical. PFAS foam gathers at the the Van Etten Creek dam in Oscoda township, Michigan, near Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The sites are McChord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis, both located just south of Tacoma. AnAir Forcespokesman did not immediately respond to aFree Pressmessage seeking comment Thursday. The two bases merged in 2010. "This is going to only improve over time. In March, the USAF promised to conduct tests for PFOS contamination on 664 bases . Later groundwater testing revealed volatile organic and other hazardous compounds in eight contaminated plumes at the military base. Contact her at ccruz@hawaiipublicradio.org. The number of active and former U.S. military installations found to be contaminated with chemical compounds found in firefighting foam is expected to rise as a Defense Department task force investigates the scope of the problem, the group's chairman said Thursday. Until recently, PFAS contaminated the drinking water of scores of military bases, and many communities near these installations continue to drink contaminated water. DuPonts Teflon changed our lives, but also polluted our bodies. ", in which the water source tested above the Environmental Protection Agencys acceptable levels, Here's the Pentagon report, list of all contaminated bases, attached toward the end of the congressional report, not just in New Hampshire, but at military installations across this country, Air Force won't pay for towns' water contamination costs, Minot firings due to failed nuclear safety inspection, MCPON: Sailors need speedier, easier access to counseling, Hangmans nooses targeting sailor found aboard Norfolk-based destroyer, Tricare now covers new costly insulin device for Type 1 diabetics, Baby on-board? They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking water in some countries. There was no factoring in of cleanup levels, no factoring in of technologies, it was just a general [estimate]. EWG officials noted, however, that the DoD has not only been slow to recognize the problem of PFAS, it has fought cleaning up the contamination for years. Peterson Air Force Base (PAFB) is in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Veterans stationed at these bases may have been exposed to a number of toxic substances through contaminated water, which may have led to serious health effects. In this June 29, 2017 photo made available by the U.S. Air Force, an F-15 fighter plane taxis back to the hangar at Kadena Air Base, Japan. To do so, Congress should increase funding for programs like the Defense Environmental Restoration Program and designate PFAS as hazardous substances under the Superfund toxic cleanup law. No. The DoD began widespread testing for contamination in drinking water at its facilities in 2016, followed by testing of groundwater on and near military installations. PFAS can be readily absorbed through ingestion, (e.g., by drinking contaminated groundwater or eating fish exposed to the chemicals) and inhalation and can even enter the body through the skin. McMahon said part of the task force's job will be to coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs to "understand what the relationship should be" regarding any health effects but stopped short of saying the DoD would seek to establish a service connection for any rating or military occupational specialty with frequent exposure. Bryan was among those instrumental in bringing awareness about another water contaminant emanating from the Wurtsmith base, nonstick forever chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Now we have the technology, and we have the expertise to understand more about the health impacts of long-ago contaminant exposures. Dangerous levels of toxic PFAS are contaminating water supplies in areas around at least 12 military bases, new Department of Defense testing has revealed, drawing concern from public health advocates that the DoD is not doing enough to protect the public. If the case does not get dismissed and the defendants are not willing to settle the matter, the case will proceed to jury trial. This Polar bears have a PFAS problem: Pollution from the forever chemicals known as PFAS contaminates polar bears, tigers, monkeys, pandas, dolphins and fish and has been documented in more than 330 From coast to coast, and in almost every state in the U.S., high levels of the forever chemicals known as PFAS contaminate freshwater fish. What isnt sweet are the potentially harmful food chemicals that may be hiding in your Valentines Day candies. Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a fire suppressant agent, used at the PAFB, is the likely source . Based on the exposure levels and estimated durations, ATSDR now concludes that some children and adults who used TCE-contaminated water for drinking, showering and bathing, or for drinking only, on the base and in surrounding areas, may be at risk for: Heart malformations, including increased risk of fetal heart malformations for pregnant women. The National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020 included important bipartisan reforms, including a provision to phase out AFFF by 2024. The toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS are now confirmed or suspected at 678 military installations, according to EWGs updated analysis of Defense Department records. They sit at the interfaces between water and particles, water and biota, they can transfer to the atmosphere and theyre so abundant they cycle around the wider environment, and thats the problem weve got.. You may not realise it but you have an intimate relationship with PFAS. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. But he promised that the task force's goals would focus on health concerns, funding and methodology for cleanup and finding new solutions for fighting fires on military installations and ships. Denka Performance Elastomer LLC makes synthetic rubber, emitting the carcinogen chloroprene and other chemicals in such high . This interview has been adapted for the web by HPR's Sophia McCullough. 2 at 800-504-2650. Nellis Air Force Base serves your region with drinking water that originates its water from Purchased surface water. Arvo said theVAhas rejected his medical problems as being service-related four or five times., If you think about it rationally, (theU.S. Department of Defense) doesnt want to do a study, he said. During a hearing earlier this year, DoD officials said the cost of the cleanup may be as high as $2 billion. 1250 I Street NW McClellan Air Force Base (Ground Water Contamination) Norton Air Force Base (Landfill 2) March Air Force Base; Travis Air Force Base; Fort Ord; . Nationally, the data provided through the FOIA added 90 current and former Army and Army National Guard installations to the list of locations that are contaminated with PFAS chemicals. This means you only pay if they win your case. In January, Okinawa Prefecture announced that waterways around Kadena Air Base were currently contaminated with PFOS; in 2008, levels in an on-base well had measured as high as 1870 ng/L. This means if you want to pursue legal action over your injury, you will need to file your own lawsuit with your own attorney. On Wednesday, environmental advocates from the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that 90 more current and former Army and Army National Guard installations had levels of ground or drinking water contamination than previously indicated. A free event about the film and water contamination in Hawaii will be held at Church of the Crossroads in Honolulu on Saturday night. Included was one that requires the Pentagon to phase out, by 2023, the use of PFAS-based firefighting foam and require military facilities to meet state cleanup standards. Surface water contamination includes strong evidence of deicing compounds in Cooley Brook, which discharges into . He or she will also gather medical documents related to the condition you are alleging stemmed from your PFAS exposure. ), Failed to adequately warn the public of the certain health risks associated with AFFF, Sold an unreasonably dangerous product when safer alternatives existed, Failed to provide reasonable instructions on the safe use, storage and disposal of AFFF, Repeatedly represented that the levels of PFAS being found in U.S. residents bodies presented no risk of harm or toxicity and were not medically significant, Had the resources and ability to fund and/or sponsor studies to confirm their representations that PFAS in the body present no health risk, yet failed to carry out such research, Knew the compounds in their AFFF products were carcinogenic and could enter the water supply, yet withheld this information from the public and government entities, Attacked, challenged and tried to discredit studies that alleged, suggested or even implied that adverse health effects were linked to their firefighting foams, Did not recall their products or instruct the public they should not be used upon phasing out production of the toxic firefighting foams and changing their formulas, File motions, briefs and other paperwork with the court. It's going to be somewhere in that vicinity," Sullivan said. PFOS and PFOA are chemicals that were used in many industrial and consumer products, such as nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabric, some food packaging, and specialized foam. Ministers told to get a grip on scale of forever chemicals pollution in UK, UKrisks falling behind Europe in controlling forever chemicals, Toxic substances from chemicals firm site found polluting protected river, Forever chemicals mean Englands waters will miss pollution targets for decades, Revealed: scale of forever chemical pollution across UK and Europe, Buncefield: the PFAS legacy of biggest fire in peacetime Europe, Howbirds of prey are exposing a toxic time bomb, EUunveils plan for largest ever ban on dangerous chemicals, Higher levels of PFAS exposure may increase chance of Covid, studies say. PFAS are a class of about 9,000 chemicals used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. In 1983, investigations had shown soil and water contamination with degreasers and JP-4 jet fuel, and in 1990 . Clean beauty in 2023 is one of the fastest growing categories in the personal care space, so you may want to give or hope to get clean fragrance this Valentines Day. Benzene levels found in groundwater ranged from 197 to 1,000 parts per billion, far exceeding theEPAmaximum contaminant level standard of 5 parts per billion in drinking water. However, two widely used problematic substances perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have been scrutinised following a number of major pollution incidents in the US, Australia and Europe, linked to chemicals manufacturing plants and contamination from PFAS-laden firefighting foams. Contamination by toxic PFAS chemicals in ground water at Dover Air Force Base was dramatically higher than federal health limits recommended this year, according to a new analysis from the Union of Concerned Scientists. The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. The Pentagons use of firefighting foam made with PFAS, also known as aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, has disproportionately exposed military service members and their families to PFAS pollution. Denise Bryan, health officer with District Health Department No. Congress must do more to accelerate the cleanup of legacy PFAS contamination. Its an issue not just in New Hampshire, but at military installations across this country, said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire. Their payment will come as a percentage of your settlement or jury award. Americans are exposed to dozens of PFAS every day. Residents and servicemembers are now taking action for the harm they suffered, so read on for more about the link between military bases and water contamination, as well as whats involved in filing a lawsuit. It is not known whether wells near those sites have been contaminated. The only way to tackle this ballooning contamination crisis impacting our military personnel and millions of others in Washington and across the country is for Congress to step up and take action.. In 2001, a Defense Department memo concluded that the main ingredient in AFFF was persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic.. But Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Environment Maureen Sullivan said Thursday that was "really a wild guess" based on rough calculations during congressional testimony. The first target for the department was to address the 36 direct drinking water sources that are contaminated and cut off that human exposure as soon as possible, Sullivan said. UPDATED MAP: Suspected and Confirmed PFAS Pollution at U.S. Military Bases, Roses are red, candy is sweet, avoid these additives in your Valentines Day treat, This Valentines Day, give the gift of fragrance without the danger of toxic chemicals, Wildlife warning: More than 330 species contaminated with forever chemicals, Forever chemicals in freshwater fish: Mapping a growing environmental justice problem. AFFF contains PFOS and can break down into other types of PFAS, including PFOA. The level of PFAS found in the drinking water at both installations is far higher than most experts believe is safe for people, said EWG Senior VP for Government Affairs Scott Faber. The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. Compounds detected in the drinking water at both locations included the two most notorious PFAS chemicals PFOA, once used to make DuPonts Teflon, and PFOS, formerly an ingredient in 3Ms Scotchgard. 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