But the NDAA fell short of whats needed to address the serious public health risks posed by PFAS, especially PFOS and its close chemical cousin PFOA. In the absence of a Congressional order, they would continue to be a bad neighbor, he said. ATSDRs reevaluation of its 2001 findings came after Wurtsmith veterans and concerned citizens asked the agency to draw new health-based conclusions that reflect the latest science, the agencys report states. In more than a dozen other states, the Air Force has acknowledged contaminating drinking water in communities close to its bases. Explore the latest news, articles and features, This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original, Island-hopping cougars swim kilometres through icy water off US coast, Were starting to understand how viruses trigger chronic conditions. ATSDRs new conclusions need to trigger a presumptive service connection, Arvo said aVeterans Administrationdetermination that certain disabilities were caused by military service, for which veterans can be awarded disability compensation. A US study that ran between 2005 and 2013, involving the collection of blood samples from about 69,000 people living near the DuPont plant, concluded that there was a probable link between exposure to PFOA and six diseases: high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Until then, DoD won't know the true extent of the water contamination, or the . El Paso County (CO) near Peterson Air Force Base. Thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism), Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland, Randolph, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis, Texas, Seymour Johnson Air Force base, North Carolina, Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan, Past and future medical expenses, including prescription costs, surgery, medical treatments and doctors visits, Loss of marital benefits (care, comfort, sex, etc. Each base should have its water information posted, Sullivan said. At those locations it has installed filters at the water source or inside base housing, relocated water usage to another well, or provided alternate drinking water, such as water bottles, for personnel, Sullivan said. This interview has been adapted for the web by HPR's Sophia McCullough. Visit EWG's 501(c)(4) organization, EWG Action Fund. In a statement, the DoD said it has since 2016 provided bottled water and filtration systems or connected residences to municipal water lines in locations where it has found PFAS contamination. Twenty-four of those had drinking water contamination at levels higher than the Environmental Protection Agency's lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion. You may not realise it but you have an intimate relationship with PFAS. There are lots of potential sources of PFAS pollution. Someindependent studiessuggest 1 ppt or lower as a safe level of exposure, which is endorsed by EWG. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking water in some countries. PFAS are a class of about 9,000 chemicals used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. 2 at 800-504-2650. Most PFAS are so well designed and robust that they wont break down in the environment for tens of thousands of years, earning them the moniker forever chemicals. Because PFAS never break down and they build up in our blood and organs, they are often known as forever chemicals.. The mission of the base is to train and equip soldiers for close air support of ground troops in an arctic environment (Eielson AFB, 2005). DoD was only able to do that quickly at the 24 locations where it manages the water supply. Harvard University public health scientists say .001 ug/l of PFAS in our water is potentially hazardous. The ensuing lawsuit, which led to DuPont settling 3,500 personal injury cases for $670.1m (555m), was made famous by the Mark Ruffalo film Dark Waters. The EPA's provisional health advisory limit for drinking water is 200 ng/L. He or she will also gather medical documents related to the condition you are alleging stemmed from your PFAS exposure. In June, theSenate passedthe National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, which contains a number of critical PFAS monitoring and cleanup amendments. So far toxicity can only be applied to PFOS and PFOA, but PFOS has also earned itself an additional letter: uPBT, with the u standing for ubiquitous a clue as to how widespread the contamination has become. They raise the number of Army installations with known PFAS contamination of drinking water or groundwater from 18 to 108, and the total number of military installations with known contamination from 207 to 297. We have 1,500 people who have been tested with elevated levels in the Portsmouth area, who are anxious about their future and their childrens future. The Defense Department identified 401 active and Base Closure and Realignment installations in the United States with at least one area where there was a known or suspected release of perfluorinated compounds. PFAS, which is an umbrella term for a group of manmade chemicals that includes perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), are often referred to as forever chemicals. This is because PFAS hardly ever break down in the environment and can accumulate, remain and persist in the body particularly the bloodstream, liver and kidneys for decades. Chocolates and heart-shaped pastilles with cutesy phrases like QT Pie are sweet. Just fill out the form on this page to get started. For the groundwater sources, both on-base and off-base, however, cleanup will take years to address, Sullivan said. At the time, no one knew the contaminants were from the military base. . And only now are scientists really putting together the pieces, and understanding just how extensive the problems are," he said. DuPonts Teflon changed our lives, but also polluted our bodies. To date, the Air Force has sampled more than 500 drinking water wells for PFAS and installed 220 whole-house drinking water treatment systems on affected wells on and around the former base. Some PFAS have been linked at very low doses to cancer, reproductive and immune system harm, thyroid and kidney disease, and other health problems. Both were eventually banned or had their uses restricted under various European and international laws, but being forever chemicals, they have not gone away. Creators of Skin Deep Database Tapwater Database EWG Verified Search. This is because individuals who have fallen ill as a result of PFAS exposure have suffered significant harm that warrants the cost and time associated with filing an individual lawsuit. "We are committed to ensuring that we have a safe place for our people and their families to live, work, play and pray," McMahon said. New cases and investigations, settlement deadlines, and news straight to your inbox. Continued investigation to define the nature and extent of contamination around Wurtsmith. PFAS contaminate the blood of every American and have been linked to serious health problems, including cancer and harm to the reproductive and immune systems. All rights reserved. For example, at Peterson Air Force Base, in some water sources the PFAS/PFOA count is as high as 7,910 ppt. PFAS have been detected in even the remotest parts of the globe, from the Arctic to Antarctica. ABSTRACT. This interview aired onThe Conversationon Feb. 24, 2023. The story of that education stretches from kupuna to keiki. For the general public, the main sources of PFAS exposure are from drinking water and food, such as eating fish, eggs, or milk, or livestock that has fed on contaminated land. ), Failed to adequately warn the public of the certain health risks associated with AFFF, Sold an unreasonably dangerous product when safer alternatives existed, Failed to provide reasonable instructions on the safe use, storage and disposal of AFFF, Repeatedly represented that the levels of PFAS being found in U.S. residents bodies presented no risk of harm or toxicity and were not medically significant, Had the resources and ability to fund and/or sponsor studies to confirm their representations that PFAS in the body present no health risk, yet failed to carry out such research, Knew the compounds in their AFFF products were carcinogenic and could enter the water supply, yet withheld this information from the public and government entities, Attacked, challenged and tried to discredit studies that alleged, suggested or even implied that adverse health effects were linked to their firefighting foams, Did not recall their products or instruct the public they should not be used upon phasing out production of the toxic firefighting foams and changing their formulas, File motions, briefs and other paperwork with the court. The tank was removed in 1977 after base personnel discovered it was leaking. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. These forever chemicals pollute water, dont break down, and remain in the environment and people for decades. Elmendorf Air Force Base water contamination may have caused health risks such as neurological disorders in veterans who served on the base and even birth defects in children. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are now investigating potential lawsuits on behalf of individuals who lived on military bases and were diagnosed with any of the following: Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are particularly interested in speaking with people who lived on the following bases, which are believed to have had their water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: A map of the base locations listed above can be viewed below. The facility was closed as an Air Force base in December 1992, but the poisons are still present. 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