Defense
PFAS contamination is prevalent due to use of legacy firefighting foams containing PFAS (AFFF) as the active ingredient were once used extensively worldwide at Defence bases, due to their effectiveness in eliminating liquid fuel fires during training exercises. In recent years, Defence has proactively taken steps to assess the extent of PFAS contamination on their sites, with the objective of identifying and understanding risk to human and ecological health associated with historical AFFF use.
Challenges
PFAS sites which have complex technical, community, and legal issues--sometimes receive extensive media coverage, and require intergovernmental involvement to agree to pathways forward. Previous uncertainty from regulators regarding appropriate human health and ecological screening levels for PFAS and how to manage PFAS-impacted sites has led to concern from stakeholders.
Solutions
AECOM’s Defense project experience has set international precedent including adoption of PFAS toxicological standards and their application in quantitative human health and ecological risk assessments and remediation trials.
Our solutions for Defense clients balance complex technical, regulatory, business and stakeholder issues to produce measurable value and cost-saving approaches. AECOM provides direct experience successfully executing environmental contamination investigation projects spanning multiple installations across the US and internationally. Our teams have worked at PFAS sites for the US Air Force, Army and Navy in support of the Department of Defense.