[CPEO-MEF] PFAS: "Are commercial airports in U.S. responsible ...?"

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Are commercial airports in U.S. responsible for PFAS contamination?
Environmental Litigation Group discusses how the use of PFAS-containing foams at airports is increasing the likelihood of individuals suffering from multiple types of cancer.

By Environmental Litigation Group 
International Airport Review
October 11, 2019

Much has been said about contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAS) in and around military installations, but the environmental impact of their use in civilian airports remains largely on the side lines.

The term PFAS denotes a large group of manmade fluorocarbon chemicals, of which approximately 650 are in commercial use according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) estimates. Due to their unique properties which make them highly resistant to intense heat and repellent to fat, water and oil, PFAS are commonly used in anti-stick pans, stain-free textiles and in fire-extinguishing foam for oil fires.

Fire suppression PFAS-containing products were developed with stringent performance requirements issued by the U.S. Navy. The fire suppressant products were so effective that they were adopted by all branches of the military throughout the 1970s, as well as many civilian operators. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was to issue security requirements for airports to exclusively use PFAS-containing products as a fire extinguishing solution around the same time.

…

For the entire article, see
https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/104858/pfas-firefighting-foams-health-risk-airports/

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Lenny Siegel
Executive Director
Center for Public Environmental Oversight
A project of the Pacific Studies Center
LSiegel@cpeo.org
P.O. Box 998, Mountain View, CA 94042
Voice/Fax: 650-961-8918
http://www.cpeo.org





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