By Xie Shilin

The US media recently discovered that the US military had quietly delayed the cleanup of PFAS contamination at nearly 140 military bases through a task list released by the US Department of Defense. The cleanup at some bases had been postponed for nearly 10 years. This decision has triggered strong dissatisfaction from residents of the affected communities and local officials. There is widespread concern that the US military has placed its military interests above the health and safety of the public. 

PFAS is a key component in military firefighting foam. For decades, US military bases have used foam containing PFAS in jet fuel fire suppression training. Once the foam infiltrates the soil and groundwater, it remains persistent due to its slow degradation, creating a long-term pollution risk. In 2017, several communities near US military bases began reporting PFAS contamination in their drinking water. Currently, nearly 600 US military bases are facing PFAS pollution issues. Studies have confirmed that long-term exposure to PFAS can lead to cancer, developmental issues in children, fertility problems, and other health risks.

It is reported that nearly 140 bases are affected by the cleanup delay, with an average postponement of 5 years, and some sites may not begin actual remediation work until 2039. The US Department of Defense explains the delays as stemming from technical challenges and the scale of the problem. A report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) notes that the scope of the contamination at military bases is much larger than originally anticipated, with some sites covering hundreds of thousands of acres (1 acre equals 4,046 square meters), requiring comprehensive testing to determine the full extent of contamination. At the same time, the report states that existing PFAS filtration technologies require pumping groundwater for filtration before reinjection, a complex and costly process. 

However, this explanation has been met with skepticism. Public opinion widely believes that the US military's investment in pollution remediation is in stark contrast to its defense budget. Since 2017, the US military has spent only $2.6 billion on PFAS cleanup, while the US defense budget for 2026 is set to reach $925 billion. Ironically, the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act also plans to cut funding for toxic substance cleanup and eliminate the ban on purchasing PFAS-containing firefighting foam. This means that more PFAS may be released into the environment in the future, creating a vicious cycle of "cleaning up while contaminating."

In the US, the growing dissatisfaction over the delayed cleanup has sparked widespread public outrage. Public opinion holds that the US military should not continue to evade its responsibility for pollution remediation by citing "technical difficulties" and "large-scale contamination." The military interests should not be placed above the health and safety of the public. If the US government cannot even ensure the safety of drinking water, the notion of "national security" becomes meaningless. Increasingly, communities, local officials, and lawmakers affected by PFAS contamination are calling on the US military to re-prioritize its efforts, expedite the cleanup process, and bring an end to the decades-long crisis of these "forever chemicals" that continue to threaten public health.