“BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The Air Force will conduct environmental sampling at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base in mid-April to assess the potential for drinking water contamination stemming from past firefighting activities.
The sampling is part of the Air Force’s proactive, service-wide investigation to assess potential risk to drinking water from Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfanate (PFOS), two compounds found in aqueous film forming foam (AFFF).
In 1970, the Air Force began using AFFF, which contains PFOS/PFOA. AFFF is the most efficient extinguishing method for petroleum fires and is widely used across the firefighting industry, to include all commercial airports, for protection of people and property.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a health advisory for PFOS and PFOA in 2016.
As part of the Air Force’s three-step approach — identify, respond, protect — a preliminary assessment was completed in 2015 that identified potential release areas where AFFF was used at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base. The groundwater sampling, which begins April 16th, will verify releases through groundwater, surface water, soil, and sediment sampling.”
Read the full press release by 1st Lt. Andrew Layton.