Guest Commentary: PFAS Registry Needed to Protect Veterans

Toxic Exposure resulting in adverse health conditions among veterans is a major health crisis in our country. Millions of veterans of the US Armed Forces were exposed for decades to harmful chemicals and substances while on duty or just by being stationed at contaminated military sites.

Courtesy https://www.eea.europa.eu/

PFAS can cause multiple problems with human health, yet they are becoming pervasive in the environment.

Many of these contaminants and occupational hazards are the silent enemy lurking on military bases in the air, soil, landfills, groundwater, and drinking water. Some examples include air pollutants (burn pits, sand, dust), toxic chemicals (agent orange, industrial solvents like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - PFAS), radiation, and occupational hazards such as asbestos. Among them, PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals," pose one of the greatest challenges to the military community.

PFAS are carcinogenic chemicals found in large quantities in fluorinated military firefighting foam, commonly known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). From the fire suppressant, PFAS ends up in ground and surface water and landfills, contaminating the environment, especially the drinking water supplies of military bases.

PFAS are called "forever chemicals" as they do not break down naturally after they are released and remain in the bloodstream of people and animals exposed to contaminated water. They can cause chronic conditions, such as changes in liver enzymes or decreased fertility, and there is plenty of Medical evidence showing the connection between PFAS exposure and cancer, especially kidney, testicular, breast, prostate, non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and thyroid cancer.

There is an urgent need for a well-functioning PFAS Registry to protect our veterans

The Department of Defense's irresponsible use of AFFF since the 1960s has led to a national crisis. By now, more than 700 military bases across the country are likely to have PFAS contamination problems. In April 2024, the EPA set a stricter 4 parts per trillion (ppt) contamination limit for PFOS and PFOA, the most human carcinogenic types of PFAS linked to cancer, in drinking water. Thus, the EPA confirmed that PFAS is extremely dangerous even at a very low exposure level. Despite the seriousness of the issue, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) still do not have a fully comprehensive and functional PFAS registry enabling them to properly track PFAS exposure among veterans.

In June 2024, the House of Representatives passed the PFAS Registry Act of 2023, which directs the VA to create a national database for service members and veterans with health concerns due to potential exposure to PFAS. The Act has not yet been voted as law. While the VA has begun tracking PFAS exposure through an official registry, this initiative remains incomplete and underdeveloped.

Military personnel and veterans are some of the most affected individuals by the risks of PFAS. A recent study shows a clear connection between testicular cancer and increased PFAS levels in the blood of US Air Force Servicemen. Cancer is a leading cause of death among military and civilian firefighters. Because PFAS lurks in the body before the malignant disease causes any symptoms, PFAS-linked diseases are often only diagnosed at a late stage, when the chances of survival are low. Unfortunately, PFAS exposure and related cancers claim many of our veterans' lives.

This issue is especially urgent in Polk County, Florida, home to more than 45.000 veterans. With such a large population of those who have served in the military, many of whom may have been stationed at bases with known PFAS contamination, the need for a complete and transparent registry is not just a federal concern-it's a local public health imperative.

Why is a comprehensive PFAS-Registry important?

A comprehensive and well-functioning PFAS-exposure registry could make a substantial difference to many veterans threatened by PFAS's health risks. Currently, veterans living with PFAS-caused cancer must go through straining bureaucratic procedures to prove that their illness is caused by exposure to the chemicals to receive veteran's health care and disability benefits. While their claims are handled with long delays, some even lose their lives to cancer.

A well-built registry that is not limited to tracking contamination and exposure levels across military installations, but which enlists all those possibly affected by PFAS in past decades, would facilitate the early detection of diseases linked to the "forever chemicals." It would also help the veterans' claims processes be easier and faster, so that they can get the timely and necessary healthcare and financial support they need. According to the PFAS Registry Act of 2023, an upgraded registry could also provide military personnel and veterans with information on recent scientific developments on the effects of PFAS, availability of treatment options, and resources to address their health concerns.

Besides the VA's shortcomings in dealing with disability applications, the DOD has a history of inadequate assessments when addressing contamination at military sites. This pattern of neglect has left many veterans exposed to hazardous substances. Our policymakers and the VA must act swiftly to build a PFAS-exposure registry that is a resource for veterans' health and benefits management. Until that happens, veterans will continue to suffer the consequences of toxic exposure without the support and recognition they deserve.

About the author:

Jordan Andrews Cade is an attorney with the Environmental Litigation Group, P.C. Jordan brings versatility to the law firm, including experience in personal injury cases, Medical malpractice, product liability, civil rights, and environmental exposure litigation. The firm is based in Birmingham, Alabama, and mainly assists civilian and military firefighters injured by toxic exposure.