Congress: Tell the Pentagon to halt incineration of toxic forever chemicals
By Judith Enck, opinion contributor — 06/08/20 09:30 AM EDT
For 50 years, the Department of Defense (DoD) has known that military-grade firefighting foam, known as Aqueous Film Forming Foam, or AFFF, is toxic. Now in defiance of Congress, it is racing to burn it at incinerators across the country.
What makes AFFF so toxic is a class of manmade chemicals known as PFAS, which are often referred to as “forever chemicals†because of their incredibly strong chemical bond. Exposure to PFAS is associated with a variety of health risks, including cancer, thyroid disruption, reproductive and developmental harms and suppressed immune system function.
Analysis of new data recently released from the Pentagon shows that 678 DoD and National Guard installations across the country are confirmed or suspected to be contaminated with PFAS.
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/501603-congress-tell-the-pentagon-to-halt-incineration-of-toxic-forever
