Despite the Harris-Biden administration presenting itself as a good manager EnvironmentA Democratic senator is sounding the alarm that pentagon Toxic incineration of chemicals could resume forever.
senator sherrod brown revealed earlier this month that his office had found evidence that the Pentagon is considering whether to re-authorize the incineration of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) — commonly known as ” are called “forever chemicals” because they can take centuries to degrade.
“I am concerned by recent reports indicating that DoD is once again seeking approval to phase out PFAS. That would be a mistake,” Brown (D-Ohio) Publicly announced earlier this month,
“PFAS do not break down easily and are linked to a number of serious health problems, including cancer, liver damage, fertility problems and developmental problems in children.”
Synthetic substances are used in a wide range of everyday products such as cell phones, nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, and insulation. They are particularly prominent in the military due to their use in firefighting foam, weapons, and uniforms.
The military is believed to be sitting on millions of gallons worth of PFAS-laden waste.
Technically, there are various iterations of PFAS substances – more than 7 million, from a studyDepends on the exact definition used.
Those toxic chemicals have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, liver damage, high cholesterol, and more.
The Pentagon has concluded that Various types of PFAS chemicals “are critical to the national security of the United States.” The issue is so important and the complexity so obvious that the Pentagon has established a PFAS task force to conduct extensive research on it.
One of the most pressing problems is the question of how to dispose of PFAS. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any ideal way to get rid of them right now. The Pentagon and other government agencies have distributed grants to research better ways to dump those chemicals forever.
A controversial method used in the past is incineration, but this causes air pollution and may result in incomplete destruction.
Congress previously placed a temporary hold on the Pentagon’s inclusion of PFAS in its National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2022. That moratorium has since expired, but the Defense Department continues the moratorium.
Brown’s office explained to The Post that there are concerns about a version of the NDAA for fiscal year 2025, which has cleared the House of Representatives, that would pave the way for incineration to resume.
His office said it had heard directly that the Pentagon was actively considering restarting incineration, but did not say where.
Of particular concern for the Ohio senator — who faces a tough race for reelection — is East Liverpool, home to a large waste incinerator.
brown wrote a letter outlining those concerns to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on October 9.
“It is my understanding that DoD is actively working to update its PFAS waste disposal guidance. As you can imagine, communities like East Liverpool are concerned about the potential health and environmental impacts of DOD starting to re-burn PFAS in their backyards,” he pleaded.
The Buckeye state senator urged Austin not to allow the Defense Department to authorize PFAS incineration “in Ohio or elsewhere.”
The Post has spoken to several industry insiders who believe the Pentagon is seriously considering resuming PFAS incineration, after hearing from lower-level officials, none of whom responded to inquiries. .
“In terms of guidance, I would consider a pregnant pause on this issue for now,” an insider told The Post. “There are really two camps right now, people who don’t really want to use incineration because they know it’s wrong long-term, and people who do it because they just want to do good enough.”
“And the real question is, is ‘good enough’ really good enough for society?”
Some type of PFAS chemicals were found in the blood of more than 98% of Americans, according to a studyAnother study from Harvard University researchers concluded that more than 6 million Americans had PFAS in their drinking water in 2016 that was above the limit considered safe by the EPA.
Asked about PFAS incineration, a Pentagon spokesperson avoided directly answering whether there were plans to resume incineration, but said he was reviewing the policy.
“The department continues to maintain a ban on burning of fires,” the spokesperson said. “DOD is in the process of updating the July 11, 2023, PFAS destruction and disposal guidance.”
“DOD plans to publish updated guidance in the next few months and provide advance notice if the Department determines it will permit the burning of PFAS-containing materials in hazardous waste incinerators.”
The spokesperson said the Pentagon is attempting to align its practices with those of the Environmental Protection Agency Recently Updated Guidancewhich concluded in part that incineration “could potentially destroy PFAS without significant environmental releases.”
“There is uncertainty associated with this option because it is based on limited research.”
The same insider pointed out that in its updated guidance, the EPA did not actually endorse any specific means of disposal for PFAS, complicating the issue.
The insider speculated, “The challenge with the Defense Department is that they were looking for the EPA to tell them they could use incineration.” “It really fails to tell them what they can and can’t do.”
EPA has certain types specified PFAS as hazardous substances.
PFAS have emerged as a concern in other states as well. I One of the largest spreads faced Due to the failure of the fire extinguishing system at Naval Air Station Brunswick in the country.
Many of the facilities with the capacity to incinerate those toxic chemicals forever are deployed on battlefields and others have suffered leaks in the past.
At home, during a radio interview in Wisconsin last month two major waste incineratorsVice President Kamala Harris was asked how communities in the state are “coping with toxic PFAS contamination in their water supplies.”
Harris responded, “My commitments to these issues are long-standing.” “We are in the process of delivering nearly $2 billion in funding to help Wisconsin and Wisconsin communities combat toxic PFAS chemicals.”
“Donald Trump refuses to protect communities from PFAS and has repeatedly sided with polluters over Wisconsin families.”
a survey from Marquette University Law School in June concluded that 68% of voters were somewhat or very concerned about PFAS in their drinking water.
Wisconsinites have seen stories about groundwater contamination in parts of the state such as Campbell on French Island, where the issue was reportedly linked to firefighting foam. at a nearby airport,
Steven Hovzdovich, campaign director for Clean Water Action of Pennsylvania, wrote an op-ed in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review last month warning against the possibility of the Pentagon reviving PFAS incineration.
“Anyone who cares about the basic health and safety of the region’s children should demand that DOD not burn these chemicals here or anywhere else,” Hovezdovich written in pieces,
Beyond disposal, PFAS have emerged as a health concern for veterans, especially those who worked in military facilities where they were exposed to leaks. In September, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that he is studying What chemicals were linked to kidney cancer in veterans.
In April, the Harris-Biden EPA announced its first “national drinking water standardFor PFAS. The EPA also unveiled a $1 billion investment to help combat drinking water pollution.
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