DOD Addressing PFAS Contamination, Official Says

Over the past four years, the Defense Department has committed substantial resources and has taken actions to respond to concerns with PFAS, a DOD official said.

Nationally, DOD had led the way in addressing these substances, she said.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a group of man-made chemicals that are very persistent in the environment and the human body — meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence the exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

PFAS is an effective chemical in aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, which is used to put out fires quickly, particularly around aircraft.

In July 2019, a PFAS task force stood up “to provide strategic leadership and direction to ensure a coordinated, aggressive and holistic approach on DOD-wide efforts to proactively address PFAS,” she said.

The task force focused on three goals:

Mitigating and eliminating the use of AFFF

Understanding the impacts of PFAS on human health

Fulfilling DOD’s cleanup responsibilities

The department is complying with the Environmental Protection Agency’s lifetime health advisory for addressing drinking water, where DOD is the known source of PFAS release, she said.

Levels greater than 70 parts per trillion are considered unhealthy, according to the EPA.

Known and suspected sources of PFAS release are in various stages of investigation and cleanup, she said, adding that information will be shared with affected communities in an “open and transparent manner.”

In January 2016, DOD issued a policy prohibiting the use of AFFF for maintenance, testing and training, Sullivan noted.

None of the commercially available PFAS-free foams meet DOD’s strict standards of rapidly extinguishing fuel fires, she said.

“We are funding extensive research and demonstration projects to test for fluorine-free alternatives,” added Sullivan.

“The department recognizes that this is a national challenge involving a wide array of industries and commercial applications as well as many federal and state agencies. Therefore, it needs a nationwide solution,” she said.