Data: 700 military installations likely contaminated with PFAS

Data: ‘Forever chemicals’ likely contaminate 700 military sites

'Forever chemicals,' or PFAS, are contaminants found in drinking water
An analysis found more than 700 military sites likely have the chemicals
The EPA has proposed drinking water limits for PFAS

Updated: Aug 22, 2023 / 08:10 PM CDT

(NewsNation) — More than 700 U.S. military installations are potentially contaminated with so-called “forever chemicals,” according to an updated analysis from the Environmental Working Group.

The advocacy organization said in a news release the Defense Department has identified 58 additional sites with confirmed per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detections in drinking water and groundwater for a total of 455 sites where the chemicals have been detected.

There are concerns about potential contamination at an additional 255 bases, bringing the total number of sites where PFAS have been confirmed or suspected to 710, the organization said.

“Forever chemicals” are widespread, don’t degrade in the environment and have been around for decades. They’ve been used in nonstick pans, food packaging and firefighting foam. Their use is mostly phased out in the U.S., but some remain.

“The Defense Department has failed to treat PFAS with the urgency service members and their families rightly deserve,” said Jared Hayes, a senior policy analyst at EWG. “For too long, people living in communities near military installations also have been the victims of the Pentagon’s failure to act.”

According to EWG’s analysis of Defense Department records, the Pentagon’s use of firefighting foam made with PFAS is the primary source of pollution at military installations.

Five of the locations with newly detected PFAS are in Hawaii, EWG said. Pearl Harbor had two sites with detections exceeding 2 million parts per trillion.

In July, researchers for the U.S. Geological Survey concluded that nearly half of the tap water in the United States contains the contaminants linked to high cholesterol, obesity, thyroid disease and even cancer.

The study found that at least one “forever chemical” could be detected in about 45% of drinking water samples collected from 2016 to 2021.

The EPA recently proposed drinking water limits for PFAS in a push that the agency said will save lives and reduce illness but will require many water providers to install costly treatment systems.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.