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…
