On January 24, Fire departments of Olympia have been banned
from using some firefighting chemicals as water resources near military bases
and wells in Airways Heights are contaminating.
These chemicals last for a long time and can pass easily
through the soil to mix with underground water supplies under natural
situations. These chemicals are key ingredients in some foams and used to
stifle fuel fires and also applied to firefighters'
protective gear.
According to sponsor, Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds these
chemicals are very harmful to health and could cause cancers in firefighters.
And it is the leading cause deaths for firefighters.
The bill is directed only at the fire districts and local
fire departments and not on the Defense Department. Some firefighting
departments finding ways to reduce the use of foam.
According to Jessica Bowman, of the FluoroCounsil, foam from
military installations and Fairchild had older compounds that are no longer
used and sold, and the new PFAS are critical to stifle fires in aviation fuels.
Barb Morrissey, of the state Department of Health, said new
chemicals are highly mobile and they have a potential to mix up in the drinking
water. Cleaning up water could be very expensive and there are no safe levels
of chemicals.
Mary Catherine McAleer, of the Association of Washington
Business, group is opposing the bill and wanted us to find the preventing
spills rather than banning the foam.
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