![]() ![]() Health problems aren’t the only potential issue that people exposed to AFFF may face. Other concerns about AFFF exposure relate to the risk of groundwater contamination or the contamination of municipal water supplies in areas that have been affected by firefighting foam. Residents living in areas near firefighter foam application or AFFF disposal are also at risk of experiencing firefighting foam health effects. They may even be unaware of this potential exposure - and it’s a problem that occurs in places all across the country. Individuals who aren’t employed in any of these high-risk occupations may also be exposed to AFFF. Who else may be at risk of AFFF exposure? The following occupations are considered among those at the highest risk of AFFF exposure because they are more likely to have worked directly with the PFAS chemicals in the course of manufacturing the products or using them to fight fires: If you are a military member, firefighter, or airport worker, or if you work or have worked in another capacity that has put you at risk of AFFF exposure and you developed cancer, you may be eligible to file a firefighting foam lawsuit to secure compensation for your medical expenses and other losses. Several types of cancer have been associated with the toxic chemicals that make up firefighting foam, including: PFAS can also be found in food, food packaging, cleaners, and personal-care products. What are toxic chemicals doing in your drinking water in the first place?Ī substantial portion of this contamination may be caused by the use of PFAS-based firefighting foam.Ĭontamination is found in higher concentrations near local fire directs, airports, military bases, and ports that use this PFAS-based aqueous film-forming foam, also known as AFFF. The testing also indicated that millions more Americans’ drinking water was also tainted with PFAS, but at a level below the EPA’s safety levels.Ī New York incinerator plant allegedly released firefighting foam into the nearby communities, spreading dangerous chemicals. residents had drinking water contaminated with PFAS above the level considered safe by the EPA, leading to litigation. Testing done on certain water systems back in 2013 through 2015 showed about 6 million U.S. One of the potential ways to be exposed to PFAS in the United States is in drinking water. How can you be exposed to toxic chemicals such as PFAS?Įxposure to toxic chemicals like PFAS can occur through a number of means. Research is being done to discover an alternative to using PFAS in firefighting foam, but such a non-toxic firefighting foam option has not yet been found. This determination led to the revision of recommendations for safe levels of AFFF exposure. The PFAS chemicals can then enter the human body through water consumption or other exposure to PFAS contamination, putting those who are exposed at risk of developing serious health problems such as AFFF foam cancer.Ī federal inquiry reportedly determined in 2018 that PFAS were more dangerous than initially reported. The chemicals may also enter drain systems which can carry the chemicals to remote locations. Once released into the environment, AFFF chemicals may contaminate soil, surface water, and groundwater. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported that PFAS chemicals may be associated with an increased risk of cancer and other health effects. ![]() When chemicals that don’t break down enter the body, they can cause serious health problems. In fact, PFAS chemicals are known as “ forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment. They are known as C-8 chemicals because they have a strong 8-carbon atom chain, which is difficult to break down naturally, according to Geo Forward. PFAS chemicals refer to perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances. However, not all PFAS toxic chemicals have been banned, and PFAS can still be found in common products and environments. PFAS chemicals are a group of man-made toxic chemicals that have been linked to significant health risks, and some PFAS toxic chemicals are no longer manufactured in the U.S. 5, 2018), which included a mandate that directed the FAA to stop requiring AFFF use no later than three years from the date of enactment (Oct. The Federal Aviation Administration required firefighters at airports to use AFFF firefighting foam until the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (enacted Oct. ![]()
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