Listen to full article and segment by Patrick Skahill (Connecticut Public Radio)
“After a B-17 plane crashed at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, some of the PFAS in the firefighting foam washed out of the airport and into nearby communities…
PFAS exposure has been linked to health issues — like reproductive problems and cancer. But the PFAS-laden firefighting foam that first responders used right after the plane crash is required by the Federal Aviation Administration, in large part because it is so effective at putting out extremely hot fires. Seven people were killed in the crash, but a number of people on board got out alive. So how do you balance saving a life in the short term against the possible long-term health effects of PFAS exposure?
David Resnik, a bioethicist at the National Institutes of Health, has some thoughts on the best way to balance conflicting needs and how to tackle policymaking decisions when there’s no clear right answer.”