AFFF/PFAS- Fire Suppression Foam/Aircraft/Firefighting - Exposure on Military Bases
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)/PFAS Multi-District Litigation (MDL) has been used since the 1960s for fire suppression on military bases, airports, and other fire training facilities. AFFF contains perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are a group of man-made chemicals that include PFOA and PFOS, (Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are part of a large group of lab-made chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) also known as known as forever chemicals. There are hundreds of PFAS, however, PFOA and PFOS are the most common. They are found in commercial household products, firefighting foam, electronic manufacturing, and many other products. AFFF contamination can happen through direct usage or by groundwater contamination. They ultimately contaminate water supplies and when ingested and do not break down in the body (they accumulate over time). The main manufacturers of AFFF are 3M, DuPont, Kidde, Chemours, Buckeye, and Tyco Fire; yet there are many others also listed as defendants in the AFFF MDL in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.
The litigation is currently focused on the following diagnoses as having the strongest scientific link to AFFF exposure:
