PFAS

Tens of thousands of gallons of hazardous firefighting foam containing PFAS now set to be picked up from nearly 150 Connecticut fire departments. “We do know a fairly close number of about 40,000 gallons,” State Fire Administrator Jeff Morrissette said. It’s a take back program nearly two years in the making. “The accidental release here at Bradley Airport did create…

The state has launched a take-back program to remove potentially hazardous firefighting foam from departments across Connecticut.

Carbonated water seemed to be particularly affected.

2 p.m. Saturday June 8, 2019: It came in as an activated fire alarm call, firefighting foam containing PFAS had been discharged after a malfunction from the foam system at a Signature Flight Support hangar at Bradley International Airport. Initially, airport officials thought the foam had been contained to airport property but hours later it surfaced in the Farmington River…

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is warning about elevated levels of a chemical used in firefighting foam turning up in fish in three rivers in eastern Connecticut. The agency tested bass in the Natchaug River, the Shetucket River, and the Willimantic River all in the Mansfield and Willimantic areas. The DPH found elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances…

As part of what it’s calling unprecedented efforts, the EPA has announced it now has multiple criminal investigations concerning PFAS-related pollution, a move Connecticut Attorney William Tong said is a “really important development.” “It is a strong message any time criminal prosecutors and investigators get involved it underscores how very, very serious this problem is,” Tong said. Tong’s office...

In what could be the first of its kind state law addressing PFAS in Connecticut, members of the Environment Committee learned more Friday about proposed legislation that would ban Connecticut fire departments from using firefighting foam containing PFAS for any training purposes. “It’s a very important resource to help extinguish dangerous fires, we know that there are safer substitutes...

Lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit the use of firefighting foam with PFAS in the training of firefighters.

The largest organization of cities and towns in Connecticut has called on the state and businesses to provide them with more help in addressing the expensive environmental fallout from chemicals in firefighting foam and similar products. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities said the $2 million in borrowing Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont proposed in his budget is good but not enough….

The Environmental Protection Agency is opening criminal investigations into PFAS and those who have manufactured it.

In a major milestone in the fight against PFAS, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it will now move forward to set federal regulations for the emerging contaminant for drinking water supplies across the country.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it will move forward with a plan to regulate PFAS across the country.

Health officials are relaxing recommended restrictions on eating fish caught in the Farmington River after a June 2019 spill of firefighting foam that contained PFAS chemicals.

As state environmental and health leaders wait to learn how much of Connecticut’s money could be set aside their PFAS Action Plan, there was a push Wednesday for federal funds and guidance from Congressman John Larson. “EPA needs to step up and make a regulatory determination,” Lori Mathieu with the state Department of Public Health said. The town hall...

Town leaders from Connecticut met with Rep. John Larson on Wednesday to ask for help and to push for federal funds to deal with PFAS, a chemical that exists in some firefighting foams and other items.

PFAS is a group of man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s across the world, including the United States. These chemicals do not break down, and have been tied to can lead to adverse reproductive, developmental, liver and kidney effects.

  Congress has approved funding to develop new drinking water standards that would check for contamination from the chemicals known as PFAS. PFAS is short for per-and-polyfluorinated alkyl substances, a group of man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s across the world, including right here in the United States. There is evidence that the most-studied PFAS chemicals, PFOA…

Six months after tens of thousands of gallons of firefighting foam spilled into the Farmington River in Windsor from Bradley, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal announced Friday a potential federal requirement to phase out firefighting foam containing PFAS at all military bases. “The United States military is going to take the lead and provide a model for the nation in...

PFAS chemicals found in firefighting foam can cause serious birth defects and health effects.

The Connecticut Airport Authority is now working with state building officials to determine if firefighting foam systems using PFAS in certain airport hangars can be replaced with water.