US Military Ordered ‘Clandestine Burning’ of Toxic Chemicals in Poor Neighborhoods: Study https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/25/us-military-ordered-clandestine-burning-toxic-chemicals-poor-neighborhoods-study?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=echobox&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3EDEiMCpZ1df-KLPKhpwRakcYSaRcVZfEoPJtxG-bhBP_cfS0TbjBO0rQ#Echobox=1616703253
The intrusion into the lives of citizens goes far beyond jet noise and inapppropriate covert ops training in our state parks. On Whidbey island, the water table has been poisoned with highly toxic chemicals the Navy has used in fire-fighting trainings, and this affects not only what comes out of your water tap if you live there, but also whether you van grow crops that are not toxic to eat.
Whidbey Island is a largely pastoral place where organic farms have thrived for many years, and home to an organic meat market as well. The Coupeville Farmers Market is the oldest in the state of Washington. Now, however, organic farming is n longer possible, and the meat of animals that drink the water is full of toxic PFOs and PFOAs. The farmer’s market no longer sells organic produce.
People on Whidbey, particularly the central part of the island where Navy firefighting trainings have occurred, have a high incidence of pancreatic and other cancers. They had not been informed until about 2018 that their wells are contaminated. After they were informed, the Navy started supplying bottles water to residents, but of course that does nothing for washing dishes and taking a safe shower. And bottled water is totally impractical for restaurants and also for farm animals.
Naturally, real estate is no longer a viable commodity on central Whidbey. No one buys a house or property with toxic water. Assuming the real estate agents are honest in disclosing the problem.
Once ingested, PFOs and PFOAs never leave the body. They accumulate. These are the same chemicals that were the subject of the famous DuPont water-poisoning case and the reason that Teflon is no longer in use. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/magazine/the-lawyer-who-became-duponts-worst-nightmare.html
Firefighting foam containing PFOs and PFOAs is apparently no longer being purchased by the Navy, but they still have a back-stock that certain Navy personnel have said they intend to use up. Meanwhile, even if they never use it again, it is already in the water supply in abnormally high concentrations.
Now, the Navy is, by law, informing farmers on Whidbey Island that their water is contaminated. But they are not by law required to offer any solution or clean-up. Please see this articles for more detail:
WATER TABLE POISONING : https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/whidbey-island-wells-polluted-with-firefighting-chemicals-near-navy-airstrips/https://www.epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas
WHAT ARE THE CHEMICALS USED BY THE NAVY THAT ARE POISONING THE WHIDBEY ISLAND WATER TABLE? https://www.epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas
LAWSUIT OVER DRINKING WATER: http://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/news/federal-lawsuit-filed-over-drinking-water-contamination-on-whidbey/
ARTICLE ON WATER POISONING: https://citizensofebeysreserve.com/the-issues/water-contamination/
MANAGE THE DAMAGE 