U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks with environmental advocates and local leaders to call for immediate passage of provisions included in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to address PFAS contamination.
These include requiring the Department of Defense to phase out the use of PFAS firefighting foams, requiring PFAS manufacturers to submit information on where these chemicals were previously manufactured and sold, and phasing out PFAS chemicals in meals-ready-to-eat (MRE) packaging.
Used in a number of applications including firefighting foam, clothing, and cookware, PFAS chemicals are associated with a host of hazardous health effects including cancer, liver damage, infertility, asthma, and thyroid disease. In 2019, there have been a number of releases of PFAS-laden foams in Connecticut, including a leak on June 8th that caused an estimated 50,000 gallons of water and PFAS foam stored at Bradley Airport to flow into the Farmington River.