Pentagon to halt use of firefighting foam that contains PFAS as cleanup costs mount

March 16, 2023

Read the full article by Ashley Murray and Jennifer Shutt (Maryland Matters)

"Battered by years of criticism from U.S. lawmakers and environmental advocates, the Department of Defense will stop purchasing PFAS-containing firefighting foam later this year and phase it out entirely in 2024.

The replacement for Aqueous Film Forming Foam has yet to be determined, and advocates are frustrated it’s taken so long to halt the use of a product containing a “forever chemical” that at high levels of exposure may lead to increased risks for cancer, among other effects. The pace of cleanup at potentially contaminated military installations and nearby communities also has come under scrutiny by Congress.

The Defense Department began searching for a fire suppressant that was more effective than water after a horrific fire aboard the USS Forrestal in 1967 killed 134 sailors and injured 161."

Location:

• North America
• North AmericaUS

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• ChemicalsPolymer
• ProductsFirefighting foam
• SourcesMilitary bases
• Environment
• Wildlife
• Remediation
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses