Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
It’s a name many people have trouble pronouncing, but these synthetic chemicals have been used in everything from fast-food packaging to nonstick cookware, clothing, household cleaning products, and even firefighting foam.
PFAS – or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – prevent breaking down and as a result find their way into drinking water, soil, air and the bloodstream of 99%. Americans,
That’s certainly true for those who live or work near the plume of contamination that has spread beyond the boundaries of Cañon Air Force Base, where PFAS-laden firefighting foam was used for years.
new mexico Health and environmental officials conducted a $1.2 million testing project, taking blood from about 630 people. He shared the results during a public meeting Thursday night.
What did they find?
The research showed that 99.7% of participants had one or more PFAS in their blood, with the most common being associated with firefighting foam.
While the percentage is not surprising given the overall prevalence of so-called forever chemicals in the environment, officials said some residents living in the plume area showed dramatically higher concentrations than the broader tested group. The levels in about one-quarter of them reached the highest concentration level used in national guidelines.
State officials said the findings suggest a connection with groundwater pollution migrating from the base.
New Mexico Environment Secretary James Kenney said during the meeting that his agency would do everything possible to help the community, but the state is still embroiled in a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Defense over damage caused by the pollution.
At Cañon Air Force Base, state officials have reported that PFAS have been found in groundwater at a concentration of 26,200 parts per trillion, which is more than 650,000% above state and federal drinking water standards.
Canon reported earlier this year that it had spent more than $73 million so far to investigate the problem and set up pilot projects to treat contaminated groundwater.
Kenney said it’s time for the federal government to move forward with the cleanup outside the base.
“We need all of New Mexico to stand up and say we have achieved this,” he said.
Health concerns
Exposure to PFAS has been linked to increased cholesterol levels, slight reduction in birth weight, kidney and testicular cancer, and changes in liver enzymes.
Some chemicals can remain in the blood for years after exposure, state officials said in a report published in August. Research The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also found that it may take weeks to years for levels of many PFAS in human blood to be reduced by half, assuming exposure is not ongoing.
Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group, said it’s not easy to draw a clear line between exposure and health effects.
“There are many different factors that influence individual health outcomes and also influence what levels you’ll see in your blood,” he said, adding that a person’s age, where they live, what they eat and drink and where they work can all play a role.
According to slides shared with the audience, tests in Curry County showed that PFAS levels increased with age, men had higher levels, and those who had military or aviation careers had higher concentrations — all things consistent with national data.
The state announced Friday a $12 million effort to connect about 100 private well users in rural Curry County to a drinking water system that meets state and federal standards.
a growing problem
Watchdog groups that track PFAS across the country say contamination is more widespread than previously thought. They are using data released by the EPA and states to compile maps showing locations across the country where levels in drinking water systems are above recommended levels. Contamination has also been confirmed at hundreds of military bases across the country.
That includes a base in southern New Mexico, where state officials are launching another health survey to assess risks at a nearby lake, where scientists have documented some of the highest PFAS levels in wildlife and plants worldwide.
In Clovis, Thursday’s audience was sparse but vocal. He expressed disappointment that properties have devalued and rural livelihoods are at risk due to pollution.
New Mexico is one of hundreds of plaintiffs who are part of multi-district litigation in South Carolina federal court aimed at holding producers and users of PFAS-containing firefighting foam responsible for contamination at sites across the country.
Aside from the legal front, some states have adopted their own PFAS regulations while the focus of federal regulations has been limited. New Mexico held a webinar this week on a new state law that calls for phasing out products with intentionally added PFAS and eventually banning their sale.