More Legislation Is On The Way That Will Compensate Military Veterans And Firefighters Who Have Developed Job-Related Illnesses

Water Contamination Lawsuit News

Toxic forever chemicals may be banned at military installations, airports, and firefighting stations

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 - Thousands of the nation's firefighters may have been repeatedly exposed to PFAS drinking water by training with and then using firefighting foam to extinguish petroleum and jet-fuel fires. A contentious issue in recent years has been the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) decision to mandate the use of firefighting foam in every one of the nation's public airports. Firefighting foam is extremely effective at smothering petroleum and jet fuel fires when all other measures may fail. The FAA sees that a jet fuel fire onboard a commercial jetliner could cost hundreds of lives and feels the risks of PFAS chemicals leaching into local drinking water supplies are outweighed by the benefits of saving hundreds of lives. This will change if a landmark bill titled The PFAS Firefighter Protection Act passes the House and Senate, and is signed into law. The Act would ban the use of firefighting foam that contains PFAS forever chemicals at fire stations and airports also. The bill is sponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Representative Dan Kildee (MI-5). Toxic-Free Future and the Safer States write, "Firefighters have used and trained with PFAS-based foam at commercial and military airports for decades. The PFAS in foam has contaminated drinking water for millions of people nationwide while also putting firefighters at greater risk of toxic chemical exposures that can cause PFAS cancer and chronic disease."

PFAS forever chemicals get their name from the fact that their chemical bonds are strong and do not biodegrade for decades. These carcinogens (per- and polyfluoroalkyl) bioaccumulate in the cells causing oxidative stress that may lead to cancer, causing "a weaker immune system, cancer, increased cholesterol levels, pregnancy-induced hypertension, liver damage, reduced fertility, and increased risk of thyroid disease," according to TFFSS. PFAS chemicals are particularly adept at maintaining their chemical bonds when washed through the soil and down into the water table, leading to the tap water of millions of people that live near industrial manufacturing plants, airports, firefighting stations, and also military bases. Military personnel has been exposed to PFAS forever chemicals through burn pits on the base and also the firefighting foam sprayed on the burn pit to contain the blaze.

In addition to the legislation that would place an outright ban on products made from forever chemicals, other legislation has already passed the US House of Representatives and awaits the stamp of approval by the Senate. The Honor Our Pact Act will help military veterans and their families receive aid for the illnesses they developed from exposure to toxic burn pits and forever chemicals. Legion.org thinks that the bill may be passed by Memorial Day as a token of the Federal government's resolve to correct the mistakes it has made in the past. According to a recent article in Legion.org, "American Legion National Commander Paul E. Dillard said. "Too many veterans continue to suffer from the poisons of war. The House of Representatives passed a landmark bill called the Honoring Our PACT Act. We call on the Senate to follow suit. If this bill arrives on the president's desk soon, this Memorial Day we can honor fallen veterans by properly caring for their sick comrades. This nation must always remember the debt owed to its heroes."

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