Contact: Cindy Carr, cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
NORTH CAROLINA -- Yesterday, after years of incinerating PFAS waste, the federal government acknowledged the hazards and announced a technical challenge to design a safer way to destroy toxic fire fighting foam. The challenge will reward new technologies that can destroy at least 99 percent of the PFAS in fire fighting foam, despite EPA typically requiring even greater levels of breakdown for other highly toxic wastes. Due to PFAS chemicals’ intense toxicity and persistence, 99 percent destruction is a low bar and wastes would still contain far more PFAS than can be safely emitted into air or waterways.
Unfortunately, this challenge comes years too late, as the military and some state governments have already sent millions of gallons of PFAS-based foams to hazardous and municipal waste incinerators because the foams were deemed too toxic to be used as originally intended. There is no proof that incineration can destroy PFAS, and instead studies suggest partial breakdown of the chemicals forms a wide variety of harmful byproducts that are acutely toxic to surrounding communities, and may also form potent greenhouse gases.
Earlier this year, the Sierra Club joined a lawsuit with people and community groups directly affected by hazardous waste incineration - Save Our County, Community In Power and Development, and United Congregations of Metro East, represented by Earthjustice, to stop the incineration of toxic PFAS-based firefighting foams under contracts with the U.S. military. Two of three incineration contracts have since been halted, but PFAS disposal remains completely unregulated.
In response, Sierra Club Senior Toxics Advisor Sonya Lunder released the following statement:
“The federal government urgently needs to stop the reckless incineration of PFAS waste. Frontline communities in New York, Arkansas, Indiana and Ohio have, for decades, received too much of our nation’s hazardous wastes. It is unacceptable to have any amount of toxic PFAS chemicals polluting these communities, and all remaining incineration contracts must be canceled immediately.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.