Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) has been a standard firefighting agent in the U.S. Navy since the 1960s. AFFF contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — a class of synthetic chemicals that do not break down in the environment or the human body.

The Department of Defense has identified more than 700 military installations where PFAS contamination has been documented, including dozens of Naval Air Stations, Marine Corps Air Stations, and Naval Stations where AFFF was routinely used during firefighting training and emergency response operations.

Scientific and epidemiological research has examined associations between occupational PFAS exposure and several health conditions, including kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, and ulcerative colitis. Federal health agencies including the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National Institutes of Health have published findings on PFAS bioaccumulation and health outcomes in exposed populations.

This section documents the history of AFFF use in the Navy, the bases where contamination has been recorded, the ratings and occupations with documented exposure, and the health conditions that have been studied in connection with PFAS exposure.


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