Navy discloses another Red Hill spill of ‘forever chemicals’

TL;DR - Approximately 1,500 gallons of concentrated firefighting suppressant containing toxic chemicals spilled at the Navy’s Red Hill underground fuel facility on Dec. 7, 2019, the Navy disclosed to regulators this week, bringing the number of known spills at the facility to three and elevating concerns that dangerous chemicals, called PFAS, still may be lurking in the environment as a result.

The fire suppressant, called aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, is used to suppress fires caused by flammable liquids such as fuel but also poses its own risks. The foam contains PFAS, referred to as “forever chemicals” because they degrade so slowly in the environment. The chemicals have been linked to a higher risk of kidney and testicular cancer, increased risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women and immune disruption, among other health problems.

March 17, 2023: Navy discloses another Red Hill spill of ‘forever chemicals’, Honolulu Star-Advertiser