Toxic PFAS Chemical Found In Florida — Here’s Where

MIAMI, FL — A new report shows that hundreds of sites nationwide — including 22 in Florida — have been contaminated with highly toxic chemicals, including drinking water systems that serve an estimated 19 million people.

Researchers at the Environmental Working Group, an activist nonprofit group, said that at least 610 places in 43 states are now known to be contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS. That’s up from the 172 the organization had identified in July 2018.

Should you worry? Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have called the presence of the chemicals in drinking water supplies a widespread public health crisis, and states and local communities are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to set legally allowable limits — which currently don't exist — for the substances.

The new sites, discovered using different data sources, include public water systems, military bases, airports, industrial plants, dumps and firefighter training sites, EWG said.

PFAS are man-made chemicals found in industry and consumer products across the globe dating to the 1950s. They were used in nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing and stain resistant fabrics and carpets, as well as certain cosmetics and firefighting foams. Additionally, PFAS were found in products that resist grease, water and oil, the federal agency said.

PFAS contamination is a public health concern that federal and state health officials are interested in studying further, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The agency cited studies linking PFAS contamination to liver problems, low birth weight, some cancers and other health issues. While more research is needed to determine just how toxic the chemicals are to humans and animals, the “forever chemical,” as it’s often called, has lawmakers on both sides of the aisle concerned.

Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, co-chairman of a congressional PFAS task force, has called PFAS “one of the most widespread public health crises” that Americans face today. Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan has said veterans and their families have become increasingly alarmed about the chemical around bases.

“The Defense Department in particular has so far failed to act with the required urgency to address this growing problem,” he said earlier this year.

Here are the PFAS contaminated sites in Florida in no particular order, according to EWG:

1. System name: Miami Dade Water and Sewer Authority

• State: Florida
• Population served: 2,300,000
• Testing dates: 01/13/15 - 07/28/15
• PFAS detected: PFHpA, PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 11 - 65 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

2. System name: City of Miami Beach

• State: Florida
• Population served: 95,000
• Testing dates: 10/10/14 - 10/10/14
• PFAS detected: PFHpA, PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 0 - 82 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

3. System name: Miami International Airport

• State: Florida
• Population served: 30,000
• Testing dates: 09/26/13 - 09/26/13
• PFAS detected: PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 0 - 47 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

4. System name: City of North Miami

• State: Florida
• Population served: 80,000
• Testing dates: 07/10/13 - 01/15/14
• PFAS detected: PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 50 - 50 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

5. System name: City of Lauderhill

• State: Florida
• Population served: 55,000
• Testing dates: 12/23/14 - 12/23/14
• PFAS detected: PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 0 - 49 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

6. System name: Miramar (East & West) Plants

• State: Florida
• Population served: 128,729
• Testing dates: 07/10/14 - 07/10/14
• PFAS detected: PFOA, PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 0 - 68 ppt

7. System name: City of Stuart - Water Plant

• State: Florida
• Population served: 19,000
• Testing dates: 07/07/14 - 03/12/15
• PFAS detected: PFHxS, PFNA, PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 204 - 286 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data
• Levels listed are for the range of the total of all PFAS detected at the time of the tests and do not reflect whether a water system is treating the water to reduce levels.

8. System name: City of Zephyrhills

• State: Florida
• Population served: 21,823
• Testing dates: 01/28/14 - 04/04/14
• PFAS detected: PFHpA, PFHxS, PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 0 - 337 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

9. System name: System name: City of Ocala

• State: Florida
• Population served: 50,924
• Testing dates: 10/27/14 - 04/06/15
• PFAS detected: PFHxS, PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 95 - 104 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

10. System name: Emerald Coast Utilities Authority

• State: Florida
• Population served: 249,872
• Testing dates: 05/14/14 - 11/24/14
• PFAS detected: PFHpA, PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 0 - 694 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

11. System name: City of Defuniak Springs

• State: Florida
• Population served: 17,094
• Testing dates: 02/19/14 - 02/19/14
• PFAS detected: PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 0 - 40 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data

12. System name: FKAA J. Robert Dean Water Treatment Plant

• State: Florida
• Population served: 73,090
• Testing dates: 04/22/14 - 10/29/14
• PFAS detected: PFOS
• PFAS min - max: 48 - 49 ppt
• Source: EWG from drinking water test data
• Levels listed are for the range of the total of all PFAS detected at the time of the tests and do not reflect whether a water system is treating the water to reduce levels.

13. Contamination Site: Patrick Air Force Base

• Location: Brevard County, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2018
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs:On-base monitoring wells (groundwater): -71-4,300,000 ppt
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs:N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at Patrick Air Force Base
• Source: EWG from Department of Defense

14. Contamination Site: Satellite Beach / Cocoa Beach, Brevard County

• Location: Satellite Beach / Cocoa Beach, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2018
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs:Newly drilled Satellite Beach monitoring wells: -PFOA+PFOS: 22.85-41.5 ppt (July 2018) Well at Cocoa Beach golf course: -PFOS+PFOA: 248.3 ppt (July 2018) Cocoa Beach sewer plant's discharge: -PFOS+PFOA: 284.4 ppt (July 2018) Shallow residential well
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs:N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at Patrick Air Force Base
• Source: EWG from Northeastern University - Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute

15. Contamination Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

• Location: Cape Canaveral, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2018
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs:On-base monitoring wells (groundwater): -PFOS+PFOA: 74-53,000 ppt
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs:N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
• Source: EWG from Department of Defense

16. Contamination Site: Naval Air Station Jacksonville

• Location: Jacksonville, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2018
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs: On-base monitoring wells (groundwater): -PFOS+PFOA: 3,410-1,397,120 ppt (2016)
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs: N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at NAS Jacksonville
• Source: EWG from Department of Defense

17. Contamination Site: Florida State Fire College

• Location: Ocala, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2018
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs: On-base groundwater monitoring well: -PFOS+PFOA: 270,000 ppt
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs: N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at FSFC
• Source: EWG from Northeastern University - Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute

18. Contamination Site: Eglin Air Force Base

• Location: Okaloosa County, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2018
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs: On-base monitoring wells (groundwater): -PFOS+PFOA: 4,300-280,000 ppt
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs: N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at Eglin Air Force Base
• Source: EWG from Department of Defense

19. Contamination Site: Naval Air Station Pensacola

• Location: Pensacola, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2017
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs: (on-base) Combined PFOS/PFOA = 84-126,300 ppt (on-base) Combined PFOS/PFOA = 84-126,300 ppt
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs: N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam
• Source: EWG from Department of Defense

20. Contamination Site: Naval Air Station Whiting Field

• Location: Milton, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2017
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs: Combined PFOS/PFOA = 259 ppt
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs: N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam
• Source: EWG from Department of Defense

21. Contamination Site: Kennedy Space Center

• Location: Merritt Island, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2018
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs: NASA has identified one groundwater site at Kennedy Space Center with PFOA/PFOS that exceed 70 ppt.
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs: N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at Kennedy Space Center
• Source: EWG from Northeastern University - Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute

22. Contamination Site: Naval Air Station Pensacola (Saufley Field)

• Location: Pensacola, Florida
• Date of discovery: 2017
• Results (PFOS/ PFOA) or Range above EPA LHAs:(on-base) Combined PFOS/PFOA = 250-79,000 ppt
• Other Results PFAS or Range above EPA LHAs:N/A
• Suspected source: Firefighting foam
• Source: EWG from Department of Defense
• Levels listed are for the range of the total of all PFAS detected at the time of the tests and do not reflect whether a water system is treating the water to reduce levels.

The most commonly studied PFAS are perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS. Both have been phased out of production in America, but PFAS can seep into soil, water and air, and take thousands of years to break down. They remain in the environment and can even “build up in people and animals with repeated exposure over time,” federal health officials said.

Phil Brown, a professor of sociology and health sciences at Northeastern University and director of the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute, said the EWG’s updated map shows PFAS contamination is “truly a nationwide problem.”

“Leaders in many communities and states are doing great work to raise awareness about PFAS and push for cleanup, but this is a national crisis demanding national action,’ said Brown.

The map shows contamination at 117 military sites. More than 190 sites were contaminated in Michigan — a reflection of the state’s robust testing program — while 47 and 43 sites were contaminated in California and New Jersey.

There are no legally enforceable limits for PFAS under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, EWG said. The Environmental Protection Agency’s non-binding health advisory level for drinking water is 70 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, separately or in combination. The nonprofit is calling on the EPA to establish what it calls a “truly health-protective legal limit” for all PFAS chemicals.

EPA chief Andrew Wheeler said in March that his agency was taking steps toward establishing federal limits for some kinds of the contaminant in drinking water, according to The Associated Press.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.