Firefighting foam used at O’Hare and Midway airports in Chicago to extinguish a jetliner fire in 2016 has contaminated groundwater with PFAS chemicals, according to military investigators. PFAS, or forever chemicals, are associated with various health risks. The foam, known as AFFF, is being phased out but has been used for decades. The contamination has prompted a Department of Defense-initiated cleanup, with an estimated national cost of $39 billion. Further testing is planned next year to assess the extent of the contamination.
Zachary Mackenzie
Xavier Graduate
PPP and Political Science Major
Community Building Institute
248-639-0103