March 2022

Data newly released by the Environmental Protection Agency show almost 900 spills or uses of firefighting foam made with the toxic ‘forever chemicals‘ known as PFAS across the U.S. and the amount that entered local waterways.

It is unclear whether surrounding community water supplies were contaminated by PFAS from the spills or use of the aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, that contained the chemicals.

The data, recorded by the National Response Center and posted to the EPA’s website, show that since 1990, there have been exactly 897 documented spills or usage reports of AFFF containing PFAS. Many of the sites with the largest foam releases were Department of Defense and federal facilities, but some were commercial harbors and civilian firefighting events. Read more…

Higher levels of exposure to toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ may increase the likelihood of Covid-19 infection, more serious symptoms and death, a group of recent studies have found.

Public health advocates and researchers have feared since the coronavirus pandemic’s onset that PFAS, which are known to be immunotoxic, could hinder the body’s ability to fight Covid-19, and the four studies represent the first bit of research supporting the theory. However, the authors caution that more research is needed.

‘There’s clear science and evidence that immunological response and PFAS are connected and associated – that’s why the Covid aspect is so important to pursue,’ said Christel Nielsen, one of the study’s co-authors. Read more…