[CPEO-MEF] PFAS, MUNITIONS: "PFAS contamination from the military use of firefighting foams is widespread but it’s far from the whole story."

[Lenny Siegel]

PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are in munitions, and other military applications too
PFAS contamination from the military use of firefighting foams is widespread but it’s far from the whole story.

By Linsey Cottrell
Conflict and Environment Observatory (UK)
February 17, 2025

PFAS and their military uses

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 10,000 chemicals used across a wide range of products and applications. This includes their use in militaryapplications, in: aircraft, munitions, missile systems, protective clothing, energy and battery storage, electronics, refrigerants, fire suppression and firefighting foams, sealants, cleaning fluids, and waterproofing.

PFAS are also known as ‘forever chemicals’ as they do not readily break down, can accumulate in organisms, and can persist in the environment. Many are linked to serious health risks, including certain cancers, fertility issues, thyroid disease, developmental defects in unborn children, reduced responses to vaccines, and high levels of cholesterol. PFAS contamination of soil and water is a significant problem, and has been widely reported. Primary sources of contamination include the use of firefighting foams at airports and military sites, leaching from landfills, and discharges from industrial sites where PFAS have been manufactured or used. The Forever Pollution Project has mapped around 23,000 European sites that are confirmed as PFAS-contaminated, which includes military airfields and facilities.

PFAS in munitions

Military PFAS use is not restricted to fire suppression and firefighting foams. PFAS are also used in munitions to improve their performance and durability, reduce the likelihood of unplanned explosions due to shock, and to improve their shelf-life. This includes PFAS use as a binder material in conventional and strategic weapons platforms: Viton® as a binder in explosive and booster charge formulations, and Teflon® in a variety of missile systems.

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For the entire article, see
https://ceobs.org/pfas-forever-chemicals-are-in-munitions-and-other-military-applications-too/


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Lenny Siegel
Executive Director
Center for Public Environmental Oversight
A project of the Pacific Studies Center
LSiegel at cpeo.org
P.O. Box 998, Mountain View, CA 94042
Voice/Fax: 650-961-8918
http://www.cpeo.org
Author: DISTURBING THE WAR: The Inside Story of the Movement to Get Stanford University out of Southeast Asia - 1965–1975 (See http://a3mreunion.org)