Alaska Distributes Bottled Water To Residents Fearing PFAS Forever Chemicals Contaminate The Environment

Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is an environmental and health issue in every one of the country's fifty states

Tuesday, July 11, 2023 - Alaska is a state that is known for its pristine lakes and rivers and a variety of wildlife found nowhere else in the world. Alaskans and tourists enjoy fishing in the rivers and streams and also hunting and hiking in its wilderness. Conserving the state's natural beauty for residents and tourists to enjoy now and for future generations is a priority for state lawmakers concerned about potential environmental contamination from industrial waste. Using firefighting foam at airports and municipal firefighting stations has caused the local water supply to become contaminated with PFAS forever chemicals. In response to public pressure, the state has taken action to phase out the use of Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), also known as firefighting foam because the product contains harmful chemicals with molecular bonds so strong they do not break down naturally and bioaccumulate in the water and soil. According to AlaskaBeacon.com, "The Alaska Legislature has passed a bill requiring the end of the use of firefighting foams containing substances known as "forever chemicals" because of their resistance to any natural degradation. Those substances, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been generally used by airport fire departments."

Firefighters coming into direct contact with AFFF firefighting foam regularly and over a number of years have reported developing AFFF cancer of the bladder, kidneys, and other forms of the deadly disease. Residents of communities surrounding airports and firefighting stations are concerned that not only is the local municipal water supply contaminated, but also that their private home wells may also be contaminated. Another fear is that PFAS forever contaminates may be coming from the leaching of water through unlined garbage landfills that contain products like discarded non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, and stain-resistant fabrics made from compounds containing PFAS forever chemicals. Bio-accumulation of cancer-causing PFAS forever chemicals in the lakes, rivers, and streams poses a potential environmental catastrophe because water naturally evaporates into the air to rain down and blanket the area. PFAS forever chemical bio-accumulation means that rainwater used for irrigation of vegetables, fruit, and other crops and also used to water pigs, chickens, and cattle could be contaminated with the chemical. What a disaster it would be if Alaskans were told one day that they should avoid eating the fish caught there. " But in Alaska, as in many other places in the world, the most direct source of PFAS contamination in the environment comes from firefighting foams used at airports. Drinking water sources at some sites have been contaminated by airport use of PFAS. Gustavus, the small and picturesque Southeast Alaska town that serves as the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, is a dramatic case. There, high levels of PFAS substances were found in well water, and the state embarked on a multiyear response program and distribution of bottled water," The Alaska Beacon reported. Lawmakers also told the Beacon that their focus is on eventually banning firefighting foam and recognizing that the contamination is an environmental and health issue in every one of the country's fifty states, not just Alaska.

Information provided by AFFFLawsuitCenter.com, a website devoted to providing news about AFFF and PFAS cancer, lymphoma and leukaemia claims, including a free no-cost, no-obligation AFFF Lawsuit Claim.