[CPEO-MEF] National Call to End PFAS/Toxic Burning in Louisiana

NATIONAL - In a joint letter published today, 81 environmental and social justice organizations from across the U.S. and its territories are urging the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and U.S. EPA to immediately halt all open air burning and open detonation (OB/OD) of reactive, ignitable and explosive hazardous waste at the Clean Harbors Colfax commercial facility in Louisiana.

Reactive hazardous wastes, when open burned or open detonated, have the potential to release heavy metals, perchlorate, particulate matter, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), dioxins/furans, explosive compounds, and other contaminants to the environment.

Residents in the small enclave of mostly Black residents just outside of Colfax have reported a deep slate of medical issues, ranging from asthma and allergies to cancer. Many of their illnesses are on the list of presumptive conditions the Department of Defense provided to veterans exposed to burn pit victims.

“The facility has had literally decades to transition to commercially-available advanced alternative technologies that capture and treat toxic emissions – this tragedy must end,” the groups emphasize

Media Release and link to the full letter at https://cswab.org/national-call-to-end-pfas-toxic-burning-in-louisiana/