The Pentagon is expected to request an extension to an Oct. 1 deadline set by Congress to stop using firefighting foam that contains hazardous “forever chemicals” at more than 1,500 facilities and in thousands of vehicles and portable equipment worldwide, according to a new report.
The Department of Defense announced last September that after nearly a decade of research it had finally identified a fluorine-free foam that met its needs for replacing its current firefighting foam, known as aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, which contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.
According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, however, the transition to the fluorine-free foam will not occur this year; instead, the DoD likely will ask for an extension through 2026 to make the switch.
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PFAS are often referred to as forever chemicals because they don’t degrade or break down in the environment. A study published last year showed a link between the chemicals and testicular cancer in military firefighters, and the substances also are associated with kidney cancer, increased cholesterol, lower birth weights, and a decreased immune response to immunizations.
The GAO said that, while the military services have developed transition plans, schedules and cost estimates to switch to…
