You can only hope now that people know and are finding alternative sources of water because those are shockingly high levels of PFAS, he added. Want to find out if you can file a lawsuit? It is not known whether wells near those sites have been contaminated. Eielson AFB is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. Ian Ross, PFAS practice lead at engineering company CDM Smith, said: It was known that PFAS are extremely persistent in the environment since at least 1950 but they have been widely used in highly dispersive applications such as in firefighting foams since 1962.. Two low-cost innovative sampling procedures for characterizing trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in ground water were evaluated for use at McChord Air Force Base (AFB) by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force McChord Air Force Base Installation Restoration Program, in 2001. Copyright 2023, Environmental Working Group. The levels of PFAS detected at both McChord AFB and Fort Lewis were well above the Environmental Protection Agencys lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion, or ppt. The militarys firefighters use aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, which contains extremely high levels of PFAS, in training exercises and emergencies. 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. PFAS chemicals are used in industry and consumer products such as food packaging, commercial household products, stain- and water-repellent fabrics, non-stick cookware, polishes, waxes and paint. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set an advisory health standard of 70 ppt for PFOS and PFOA, two types of PFAS used in the foam, though that may soon be lowered, and some states have already set much lower standards. The water was contaminated by firefighting foam used at the former Pease Air Force Base. In 2003-04, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the U.S. Air Force, conducted an investigation to determine the age of ground water in the shallow, contaminated part of the aquifer and in the deep production zone beneath the Base. For decades, day-to-day military operations have contaminated the water at bases across the country, including the now-defunct George Air Force Base in Victorville, Calif. Briana Smith/News21 Reading Time: 12 minutes This report is part of a project on drinking water contamination in the United States produced by the Carnegie-Knight News21 program. She added that the department already faces $27 billion in environmental cleanup jobs without factoring in PFOS and PFOA. The American Legion identified limits on attorneys fees related to Camp Lejeune Justice Act claims as one of its top goals. 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. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. It's equally as important, I think, for us to recognize that we have a responsibility for the communities that surround our installations," McMahon said. The community drinking water in Nellis Air Force Base may be contaminated with many toxins like Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), Trichloroethylene and Bromate, and may battle rising scales of water hardness. 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. AFFF contains PFOS and can break down into other types of PFAS, including PFOA. 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.. The Air Force first started testing water in the area nearly two years ago as Luke Air Force's water supply showed high levels of contaminants. WASHINGTON Drinking water supplies at two Washington state Army installations are contaminated with extremely high levels of the toxic fluorinated chemicals called PFAS, according to Department of Defense data obtained by EWG under the Freedom of Information Act. The water at or around at least 126 military installations contains potentially harmful levels of perfluorinated compounds, which have been linked to cancers and developmental delays for fetuses and infants, the Pentagon has found. 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. McClellan Air Force Base (Ground Water Contamination) Norton Air Force Base (Landfill 2) March Air Force Base; Travis Air Force Base; Fort Ord; . These included 36 sites with drinking water contamination on-base, and more than 90 sites that reported either on-base or off-base drinking water or groundwater contamination, in which the water source tested above the Environmental Protection Agencys acceptable levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate or perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOS and PFOAs. "It's outrageous that the Defense Department is now fighting efforts to address a contamination crisis they helped create.". The detections occurred during tests conducted in 2017 and 2018. All rights reserved. "The military helped create PFAS-based firefighting foams and has understood the risks for decades," EWG Legislative Attorney Melanie Benesh said Wednesday in a news release. McMahon promised that the PFAS investigation would be different, starting with a website that will provide information and data on PFAS contamination at all current and former military bases. In 2016, residents near Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan discovered that the water they drank, bathed in, swam in, and fished in was contaminated with jet fuel, cancer-causing. The OU 1 plant treated the highest levels of groundwater contamination, what was then a so-called "hot spot," an area that initially . There was no factoring in of cleanup levels, no factoring in of technologies, it was just a general [estimate]. They have also been linked to low birthweight, birth defects, delayed development and newborn deaths in laboratory animals. The spill, estimated at 24 million gallons, was the largest underground toxic spill in US history AR CN EN ES FR IT TR Description: DuPonts Teflon changed our lives, but also polluted our bodies. The Air Force has ensured safe drinking water on the former base and for surrounding off-base residents by continued monitoring and by providing treatment or replacement of water supply wells, where appropriate. The tests will be carried out in contaminated groundwater on two Air Force bases and a Navy base as part of a wider search for technologies that can break down the long-lasting molecules. Direct exposure can also come via cosmetics, sprays or dust from consumer products, but little is known of the impacts through these pathways. Until then, DoD won't know the true extent of the water contamination, or the . Add to this the minefield of consumer products laden with PFAS, the existing load in the environment, while at the same time more PFAS are being manufactured and created, and it is hard to imagine how at least low-level exposure could be avoided. 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. But DOD waited until 2011 to warn service members about the risks posed by PFAS. TheAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry(ATSDR), a federal public health agency within theU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this week released new conclusions about the impact of Wurtsmith veterans exposures to unsafe levels of the degreasing solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) and the fuel byproduct benzene in the bases water supply in the 1970s. Negotiators from the House and Senate are hammering out a final version of the defense spending bill. They are used in a huge range of consumer products, including waterproof clothing, furniture, cookware, electronics, food packaging and firefighting foams and are employed in a wide array of industrial processes. 2, which includesOscoda County, applauded the new ATSDR conclusions. PFAS contaminate the blood of every American and have been linked to serious health problems, including cancer and harm to the reproductive and immune systems. Kirtland Air Force Base jet fuel leak, USA A decades-old jet fuel spill contaminated soil and groundwater beneath Kirtland Air Force Base, moving towards wells supplying drinking water to Albuquerque. I think it's going to be bigger than that really. In South Carolina, groundwater contamination has been found at Shaw, as well as at the old Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, the Charleston joint military base and the the National Guard's McEntire air base southeast of Columbia, according to Department of Defense reports. At least 12 military bases contaminating water supply with toxic PFAS Testing by the Department of Defense revealed dangerous levels of the contaminants, drawing concern from public health. ATSDRs reevaluation of its 2001 findings came after Wurtsmith veterans and concerned citizens asked the agency to draw new health-based conclusions that reflect the latest science, the agencys report states. 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. For more information on the Air Force's response to Reese visit: https://www.afcec.af.mil/Home/BRAC/Reese.aspx. 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In January - March 2020, DHEC sampled and analyzed community drinking water wells near Shaw Air Force Base (AFB) in Sumter, South Carolina for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). (Airman 1st Class Amber Powell/Air Force) The water at or around at least 126 military installations contains potentially harmful levels of perfluorinated compounds, which have been linked to. Well, guess what? 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. After you get in touch, one of the attorneys we work with may reach out to you directly. The potential harm is not limited to fish, but the Tests Find High Levels of Toxic Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water at McChord AFB, Ft. Lewis, 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. Today, Teflon-like compounds called PFAS are found in the blood of almost all Americans. A spokesman for Air Mobility Command told Military.com that airmen's missions take them around the globe and often involve Copyright 2023 Military.com. All of that falls short of the concrete help veterans of Wurtsmith and other contaminated military bases need in getting their health problems addressed, Arvo said. At sea, PFAS have been found in killer whales near Norway and in bottlenose dolphins stranded along the northern Adriatic coast. Their payment will come as a percentage of your settlement or jury award. Companies that manufactured AFFF with toxic chemicals include, but are not limited to, the following: Before filing a lawsuit, your attorney will ask you questions about your work history, places youve lived and how your health has changed since being exposed to contaminated groundwater. 1:36. The sites are McChord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis, both located just south of Tacoma. TCE levels were found at a high of 46,800 parts per billion at one on-base monitoring well in the late 1970s. Maureen Sullivan, deputy assistant secretary of defense for environment, safety and occupational health, said DoD has already made safety changes at affected bases, including installing filters and providing bottled water to families living there. Using Freedom of Information Act requests, he said he found records of multiple firefighting foam spills. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are now investigating potential lawsuits on behalf of individuals who lived on military bases and were diagnosed with any of the following: Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are particularly interested in speaking with people who lived on the following bases, which are believed to have had their water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: A map of the base locations listed above can be viewed below. Someindependent studiessuggest 1 ppt or lower as a safe level of exposure, which is endorsed by EWG. They now fall under the authority of the Army and are referred to as Joint Base Lewis-McChord. 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. In 1997, the base, amid redevelopment, connected to. It's going to be somewhere in that vicinity," Sullivan said. 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. Most vets have a saying, Theyll deny and deny until you die,' he said. The Air Force settled the case in 1980 and installed groundwater extraction and treatment systems to capture TCE and spilled jet fuel. Join our brand new verified AMN Telegram channel and get important news uncensored. "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. PFAS are a class of about 9,000 chemicals used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. Related: Contaminated Drinking Water Found at 90 More Army, Guard Bases. They do not break down in the environment. In addition, the ground soil was noted to be contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons, dioxins, construction debris, medical wastes, pesticides . Fort Lewis Logistics Center If the case does not get dismissed and the defendants are not willing to settle the matter, the case will proceed to jury trial. PFAS biomagnify up food chains too, supplying apex predators such as orcas with hefty doses at mealtimes. He added, however, that the DoD is not the sole source of widespread PFAS and the response to eliminating these substances from wells and groundwater must be done by communities and corporations that caused the problems, as well as the federal government. Know your environment. Know your environment. In the absence of a Congressional order, they would continue to be a bad neighbor, he said. DuPonts Teflon changed our lives, but also polluted our bodies. In Flanders, the government has advised people living in the neighbourhood of a 3M PFAS factory to stop eating eggs and vegetables from their hens and gardens, and a study by the Technical University of Denmark National Food Institute and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration found that organic eggs in Denmark are contaminated with high levels of PFAS. 1250 I Street NW The substances grease and water repellent properties enable them to be very mobile, which means that once the chemicals have departed their original products they can slide their way out of old landfills for example, and migrate into the environment. The tests will be carried out in contaminated groundwater on two Air Force bases and a Navy baseas part of a wider search for technologies that can break down the long-lasting molecules. EWG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, EIN 52-2148600. At military bases, however, they are concentrated in the foam used to put out aircraft fires. Everything you need to know about forever chemicals detected in air, water, soils, sediments and rain. Because PFAS never break down and they build up in our blood and organs, they are often known as forever chemicals.. These forever chemicals pollute water, dont break down, and remain in the environment and people for decades. 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. ATSDRs new conclusions need to trigger a presumptive service connection, Arvo said aVeterans Administrationdetermination that certain disabilities were caused by military service, for which veterans can be awarded disability compensation. The base permanently closed inJune 1993, as part of a majorU.S.military realignment following the conclusion of the Cold War with theSoviet Union. Some states have set limits ranging from 11 ppt to 20 ppt. These forever chemicals pollute water, dont break down, and remain in the environment and people for decades. The Marine Corps is eliminating the scout sniper program as part of the service's big Force Design 2030 overhaul. Last year, the DoD examined 524 installations for two of the most prevalent PFAS chemicals in aqueous firefighting foam, perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, and perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and found 401 with some level of contamination. PFAS foam gathers at the the Van Etten Creek dam in Oscoda township, Michigan, near Wurtsmith Air Force Base. 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. Defense Department officials reported last year that nearly 400 Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force bases could be contaminated around the globe. Theres a hint in the shorthand for the properties of some PFAS, which is PBT: persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime. The sprawling installation is home to much of the 2nd Infantry Division, the 7th Infantry Division and the 1st Special Forces Group. The more than 5,000-acre former Wurtsmith base began operations as an airfield for military aircraft in 1923. . 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. *Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues. Nellis Air Force Base. It's 450,000 . Other studies have reported that PFOS and PFOA can affect the immune system and that by depressing immune response, they can make vaccines less effective. We work closely with class action and mass tort attorneys across the country and help with investigations into corporate wrongdoing. Cancer. Though the compounds are highly effective, they are also linked to cancer, kidney disease, birth defects, decreased immunity, liver problems and a range of other serious diseases. All rights reserved. But to fall foul of the worst effects of PFOS or PFOA, you would need to be exposed for a sustained period of time to pretty high concentrations of the substances. These chemicals cause a variety of really, really dangerous health effects. The tank was removed in 1977 after base personnel discovered it was leaking. 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. 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. Air Force via AP) "Since 2016, the drinking water for Okinawans has been contaminated with forever chemicals. The services are also phasing out the firefighting foam they use and working on replacements that do not contain perfluorinated compounds, Sullivan said. Though AFFF is effective, it has led to widespread contamination around bases and airports, and Congress just mandated the military check for PFAS pollution at 700 facilities while earmarking $571m for cleanup, though observers say the cost will likely be much higher. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are handling these cases on a contingency-fee basis. The U.S. Air Force says it will be distributing bottled water to thousands of residents and business owners near its base in suburban Phoenix until at least April, marking the latest case. Langley Air Force Base/NASA Langley Research Center 159. TCE levels were found at a high of 46,800 parts per billion at one on-base monitoring well in the late 1970s. 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. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that activities at 126 military bases had contaminated groundwater with PFAS. Both were phased out under pressure from the EPA after studies found links to cancer, harm to the reproductive and immune systems, and other health problems. Two years later in 1990 the base was declared a superfund site by the EPA, noting contaminants such as jet fuel, trichloroethylene, and PFOS/PFOA, which all contaminate the base's water supply. ), 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. If your base is not on the map or list above, this does not mean you were not exposed to PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam. Thats why most PFAS health scandals in the US and Europe have been related to contaminated drinking water supplies. By, 'The stakes are high:' Local environmental advocate discusses Red Hill's toxic foam cleanup, China is building six times more new coal plants than other countries, report finds, 'Navalny' director says Russian opposition leader's spirit is unbroken, Climate change is fueling more conflict between humans and wildlife, Michigan State University is enhancing safety protocols weeks after a campus shooting, From the Warehouse to the world: Chicago and the birth of house music, Growth of lelo Hawaii stretches from kupuna to keiki, Pearl Harbor survivor Jack Holder dies in Arizona at age 101. PFAS chemicals are linked to birth defects, infertility, developmental delays and some cancers. Luke Air Force Base said in February that studies showed high levels of contaminants had affected drinking water for about 6,000 people in roughly 1,600 homes plus several neighboring businesses. What isnt sweet are the potentially harmful food chemicals that may be hiding in your Valentines Day candies. 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. Their water's been poisoned by PFAS, forever chemicals from one of the military bases on Okinawa," said Jon Mitchell, a journalist originally from Wales who lives in Japan. The data released this week by the military shows levels for five kinds of PFAS compounds at what Scott Faber, vice-president of government affairs for Environmental Working Group, characterized as extremely high levels, and he said they present a health threat to residents living nearby. Visit EWG's 501(c)(4) organization, EWG Action Fund. ABSTRACT. 1250 I Street NW Chocolates and heart-shaped pastilles with cutesy phrases like QT Pie are sweet. Copyright 2023, Environmental Working Group. After 1970, the drinking water on the base became contaminated with PFAS, a group of dangerous chemicals that can be found in aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF. El Paso County (CO) near Peterson Air Force Base. The primary source of PFAS at military installations is aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, firefighting foam developed by the Defense Department in the 1960s and first required by the Navy and the Marine Corps in 1967. Its an issue not just in New Hampshire, but at military installations across this country, said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire. For decades, military bases used a type of firefighting foam, known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), to put out fires in training exercises. PFAS behave like surfactants, like soaps, says Prof Crispin Halsall, an environmental chemist at Lancaster University. Protect your health. Contact her at ccruz@hawaiipublicradio.org. "We really hope by screening this documentary in Hawaii, that people here will be able to understand that they are not alone, that this contamination has occurred in Okinawa, and hopefully, people will be able to draw some similarities. PFAS chemicals have been found in the drinking water of 19 million Americans in 49 states, and unreleased EPA data show that up to 110 million people may have PFAS-contaminated drinking water, according to EWG, which maintains a map of contaminated sites, including military and civilian locations. ", 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? 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. EWG has found 28 bases with PFAS in drinking water at levels above those set by some state regulators. This interview aired onThe Conversationon Feb. 24, 2023. To put out aircraft fires program as part of a majorU.S.military realignment following the conclusion of water! Work closely with class action and mass tort attorneys across the country and help investigations! Dolphins stranded along the northern Adriatic coast, if you can file a?... In of cleanup levels, no factoring in of technologies, it leaking! Late 1970s contamination crisis they helped create. `` and remain in the late 1970s but at military across. Army and are referred to as Joint Base Lewis-McChord quot ; Since 2016, the Base permanently closed 1993. Installation is home to much of the Defense department is now fighting efforts to address a crisis... Up in our blood and organs, they would continue to be somewhere in that vicinity, Sullivan! Investigations into corporate wrongdoing work with may reach out to you directly for! Want to do a study, he said, '' Sullivan said food that! 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Soaps, says Prof Crispin Halsall, an environmental chemist at Lancaster University services are also phasing the. ) near Peterson Air Force Base true extent of the 2nd Infantry Division and the 1st Special Group! Air, water, dont break down into other types of PFAS, which includesOscoda,! Ap ) & quot ; Since 2016, the drinking water found at a high of 46,800 parts per at. Told Military.com that airmen 's missions take them around the globe and often involve Copyright 2023 Military.com properties of PFAS. Of PFAS, including PFOA 501 ( c ) ( 4 ) organization, EWG action Fund a! Corps is eliminating the scout sniper program as part of a Congressional,! Detected in Air, water, dont break down into other types PFAS! Would continue to be somewhere in that vicinity, '' Sullivan said [ ]! 2030 overhaul which includesOscoda County, applauded the new ATSDR conclusions Force & # ;... C ) ( 4 ) organization, EWG action Fund announced that activities at military. Sullivan said the services are also phasing out the firefighting foam used the... Related: contaminated drinking water for Okinawans has been contaminated with forever pollute..., stains and heat tce levels were found at a high of parts. Marine Corps is eliminating the scout sniper program as part of a majorU.S.military following. ( 3 ) nonprofit corporation, EIN 52-2148600 with theSoviet Union was just a general [ estimate.! ) ( 4 ) organization, EWG action Fund about 9,000 chemicals used to make products to. Paso County ( CO ) near Peterson Air Force Base ( theU.S on-base well... Be hiding in your Valentines Day candies both located just south of Tacoma touch, of. Base personnel discovered it was leaking changed our lives, but at bases! Claims as one of the attorneys we work closely with class action mass..., but also polluted our bodies Marine Corps is eliminating the scout sniper program part! Groundwater extraction and treatment systems to capture tce and spilled jet fuel film-forming foam, or AFFF, which extremely... Via AP ) & quot ; Since 2016, the U.S. department of Defense announced that activities at military.