- Congress has pressured the Department of Defense to phase out PFAS.
- But the Department of Defense maintains that PFAS are essential to its equipment, weapons and vehicles.
- READ MORE: Minnesota Prepares To Be First US State To Ban ‘Permanent Chemicals’
The Pentagon has warned that broad bans aimed at removing harmful chemicals from everyday items could threaten US national security.
Regulators across the country are proposing bans on PFAS chemicals, sometimes known as “permanent chemicals,” which are found in thousands of products and have been linked to cancer and infertility.
The Department of Defense (DoD) relies on thousands of weapons and products such as uniforms, batteries and microelectronics that contain PFAS, he said.
In a report quietly submitted to Congress in August, the Defense Department said: “Losing access to PFAS due to overbroad regulations or severe market contractions would greatly impact national security and the Department of Defense’s ability to meet its mission”.
PFAS chemicals are used in uniform coatings to make them water-repellent, in brake fluid for airplanes and helicopters, in insulation of wires and cables in submarines, and in missiles to improve the performance and stability of explosives.
The report added that chemicals were “critically important” to maintain the technology and elements that ensure “military readiness and sustainment.”
Microelectronic chips, lithium-ion batteries, helicopters, torpedoes, and tanks contain PFAS chemicals, as do shoes, tents, and duffel bags.
PFAS, or perfluorinated and polyfluorinated substances, are man-made chemicals that are present in many everyday items as they make items non-stick, waterproof, and oil-resistant.
They have been linked to several long-lasting health problems, including several types of cancer, as well as low birth weight, thyroid problems, and developmental delays in children.
Military personnel may be at greater risk since the Department of Defense began using aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which contains PFAS, to extinguish certain types of fires.
AFFF is a very effective fire retardant foam but is now known to be toxic to humans.
The release of these chemicals into the environment also caused water around military bases to become contaminated with PFAS.
Thousands of firefighters and military workers have sued manufacturing companies over fears they have been exposed to dangerous chemicals forever afterward. seeing higher than average cancer rates among their ranks.
PFAS chemicals are used in uniform coatings to make them water-repellent, in brake fluid for airplanes and helicopters, in insulation of wires and cables in submarines, and in missiles to improve the performance and stability of explosives.
A government study published in July showed a direct link between testicular cancer and PFOS, a type of PFAS chemical that has appeared in the blood of thousands of military personnel.
In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the first time proposed limits on chemicals in drinking water.
And under the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2023, the Pentagon was directed to assess the pervasiveness of PFAS in military equipment.
The Defense Department said it would stop purchases of firefighting foam with PFAS by the end of the year and phase them out completely by 2025.
It had already stopped using foam in training in 2020, as ordered by Congress.
The Defense Department said that while new Navy ships are being built using alternative firefighting mechanisms, such as water mists, “use (of systems containing PFAS) remains limited for those spaces where alternatives are not available.” “appropriate.”
For existing vessels, there is no alternative foam that can be replaced. The report says that “the safety and survivability of naval ships and crew” depend on the PFAS-based firefighting foam currently in use until an effective alternative is found.
