Wolemba David Bond, The Guardian, March 25, 2021
ONe ya mankhwala okhalitsa omwe satha kuwonongeka omwe amadziwika ndi munthu - Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), yemwe ndi PFAS "mankhwala osatha" - akuwotchedwa mwachinsinsi pafupi ndi madera osowa ku United States. Anthu omwe amachititsa ntchitoyi? Si wina koma asitikali aku US.
As deta yatsopano yofalitsidwa ndi Bennington College sabata ino, asitikali aku US alamula kuwotcha mobisa mapaundi opitilira 20m a zinyalala za AFFF ndi AFFF pakati pa 2016-2020. Izi zili choncho ngakhale kuti kulibe umboni kuti kuwotcha kwamoto kumawononga zopangira izi. M'malo mwake, pali chifukwa chabwino chokhulupirira kuti kuyaka moto kwa AFFF kumangotulutsa poizoni m'mlengalenga ndikupita kumadera oyandikana nawo, minda, ndi njira zamadzi. Pentagon ikuyesa mozama poizoni ndipo yalembetsa thanzi la mamiliyoni aku America ngati maphunziro osazindikira.
AFFF idapangidwa ndikupanga mphamvu ndi Asitikali A US. Woyambitsa panthawi ya nkhondo yaku Vietnam yolimbana ndi moto wamafuta pa zombo zapamadzi komanso mlengalenga, AFFF anali mwana wazamaukadaulo wopanga ma molekyulu olimba kuposa chilichonse chodziwika m'chilengedwe. Akapangidwa, mgwirizano wa kaboni-fluorine sichitha konse. Kukana kukhala mafuta, mgwirizano wamtunduwu umaposa ndipo umawombera ngakhale moto wowopsa kwambiri.
Pafupifupi pomwe adayamba kugwiritsa ntchito AFFF, asitikali anasonkhana umboni wowopsa Ponena za kulimbikira kwachilengedwe kwa mankhwala opangira kaboni-fluorine, awo kuyandikana kwa zinthu zamoyo, ndi momwe zimakhudzira thanzi la munthu. Asitikali ankhondo aku US atagula kwambiri AFFF padziko lapansi, mafunso ovuta pazomwe zimachitika moto utasiyidwa pambali. Asitikali ankhondo aku US kunyumba ndi akunja adalimbikitsa kupopera mankhwala mwachinyengo kwa AFFF pochita zozolowereka pomwe ozimitsa moto adauzidwa kuti ndi otetezeka ngati sopo.
Makina opangira kaboni-fluorine chemistry, omwe tsopano amadziwika kuti per- ndi poly- fluorinated compounds (PFAS), akuwonekera lero ngati akuyambitsa vuto lomwe silinachitikepo ndi kale lonse. Pambuyo pa mphindi yayifupi kwambiri yothandiza, ma PFAS amabwera kudzasokoneza moyo poyenda, poizoni, komanso kusafa koopsa. Monga tikudziwira tsopano, kufufuzira kuchuluka kwa izi "mankhwala osatha”Imagwirizanitsidwa kwambiri ndi gulu la Khansa, zovuta zakukula, kusowa chitetezo mthupi, komanso kusabereka. Kuwonetseranso kwagwirizanitsidwa ndi matenda opatsirana a Covid-19 ndi mphamvu yothandizira katemera.
kuchokera Portsmouth, New Hampshire ku Colorado Springs, Colorado, Zaka khumi zapitazi zawona madera omwe ali pafupi ndi magulu ankhondo atadzuka ku zoopsa za kuipitsidwa kwa PFAS m'madzi awo, nthaka yawo ndi magazi awo. "Kupanga mapu akuwonongeka kwa PFAS ku United States, department of Defense ikuwoneka kuti ndiwomwe akuthandizira kwambiri pamndandanda wosavomerezekawu," Dave Andrews wa Environmental Working Group (EWG) anandiuza.
Pofufuza koyambirira kwa magulu ankhondo mu Disembala 2016, a Gulu Lankhondo adazindikira Malo a 393 Za kuipitsidwa kwa AFFF ku United States, kuphatikiza malo 126 pomwe zida za PFAS zimalowa m'madzi akumwa anthu. (Dipatimenti ya Chitetezo ili ndi mapulani othetsera mavuto pamagawo ang'onoang'ono a malowa.) Mu 2019, DOD idavomereza kuti manambalawa anali "kuwerengedwa kochepa. ” Mapu otchuka a Environmental Working Group a kuipitsidwa kwa PFAS amaika kuchuluka kwa malo ankhondo odetsedwa ku 704, nambala yomwe ikupitilizabe kukwera.
Monga momwe zingakhalire zovuta. Pomwe ena amati amatsutsana ndi zomwe apanga AFFF, zikwangwani zankhondo yaku US zili ponseponse pamilandu. Liti asayansi aboma atasindikiza kuti awunikenso zowunika za AFFF mu 2018, akuluakulu a DOD adatcha sayansiyo "zoopsa pagulu”Ndikuyesera kutero kupondereza zomwe zapezeka.
Kupatula kuwononga maimelo amkati, asitikali adakali ndi AFFF yochulukirapo. Monga EPA ndikunena mozungulira US ayamba kutchula AFFF mankhwala owopsa, nkhokwe zomwe asitikali a AFFF ayamba kuwonjezera pazovuta zakuthambo patsamba lazankhondo. Mwina poganiza kuti a Trump Administration apereka mphindi yabwino, Pentagon idaganiza zothetsa vuto lawo la AFFF ku 2016.
Ngakhale kuti AFFF ikana moto modabwitsa, kuwotcha mwakachetechete kunakhala njira yomwe asirikali athana nayo AFFF. "Tinkadziwa kuti kuchita izi kungawononge ndalama zambiri, chifukwa zimatanthauza kuti tikuwotcha china chake chomwe chidapangidwa kuti chimitse moto, "A Steve Schneider, wamkulu wa Hazardous Disposal for the logistics wing of DOD, said in 2017 as the ntchitoyi ili mkati.
Ndi chinthu chimodzi chokha chomwe chidasokoneza dongosolo lalikulu ili: palibe umboni kuti kuwotcha kumawononga chemistry wa AFFF.
Pozindikira "kuletsa kwamphamvu kwamphamvu kwamphamvu" kwa mgwirizano wama carbon-fluorine, lipoti la 2020 EPA linamaliza, "Sizimamveka bwino momwe kuyatsa kotentha kwambiri kumawonongera PFAS. "
Muupangiri waluso wa 2019 wowotchera moto, EPA idalemba kuti timvetsetsa za "kuwonongeka kwa matenthedwe”Za PFAS ndizochepa, zochulukirapo, ndipo sizingagwire ntchito. Khonsolo yotsogola yotsogola idakana kuvomereza kuwotcha kwa AFFF chaka chatha, ponena kuti kutentha kwamoto kudakali "malo ochita kafukufuku. "
Komanso kuzengereza kotero sikungoperekedwa kwa mabungwe azachilengedwe. Ngakhale m'mene zimatumizira magalimoto oyendetsa sitima za AFFF kwa oyatsa moto mu 2017, asitikali enieni adati "chemistry yotentha kwambiri ya PFOS […] sinadziwike"(PFOS ndiye chinthu chachikulu mu PFAS mu AFFF), ndipo"zopangidwa mwambiri zomwe zakhala zikuchitikanso sizikhala zokhutiritsa chilengedwe. "
Koma izi sizinaimitse Pentagon kuti ipitirire ndikuwotcha mankhwalawo mwakachetechete. Pamene asitikali amatumiza AFFF kwa oyatsa moto mdziko lonselo, EPA, oyang'anira maboma, ndi asayansi aku yunivesite onse achenjeza kuti kugonjera AFFF kutentha kwambiri kungayambitse mfiti imatulutsa poizoni wa fluorine, kuti matekinoloje omwe alipo osakwanira kuti ayang'ane mpweya woopsa samathanso kuwagwira, ndipo mankhwala owopsa amatha kugwa m'malo oyandikana nawo. Poyerekeza udindo wake motsutsana ndi thanzi la maderawa, Pentagon idasewera masewerawo.
Monga zina zambiri mu kayendetsedwe ka Trump, kuthamangira mopanda chidwi kuwotcha AFFF kudafikira pafupifupi poyera. Pulogalamu ya malipoti olimba mtima a Sharon Lerner pa Intercept ndipo chigamulo cha Earth Justice chotsutsana ndi DOD idatsegula zenera mu chisokonezo ichi mu 2019. Momwe chidziwitso chidabwereranso kumadera oyandikira malo owotcherako moto, utsogoleri wolimbikitsidwa udathandizira malingaliro olakwika a ntchito yonse mpaka kuwonekera kosawoneka bwino mu Ohio ndi New York.
M'nyengo yozizira iyi, ndidagwirizana naye nzika magulu ndi oimira dziko kulemba ndi kufalitsa Zambiri zomwe zilipo pakuwotcha kwa AFFF. Momwe ophunzira anga ndi ine tidasonkhana pamodzi ndikuwulula zonyamula, kuwunikira zambiri zamalo owotcherako moto ndi madera oyandikana nawo, ndikuyamba kutipangitsa kuti tiwone zakufa koopsa kwa AFFF yoyaka moto, ntchitoyi yankhondo idapeza tanthauzo lina: kunyalanyaza kwakukulu.
Sikuti kuwotcha kwa AFFF kulibe upangiri wokha, koma owotchera zinyalala zowopsa zisanu ndi chimodzi omwe akuchita izi ndi omwe amatsutsana ndi malamulo azachilengedwe. Kuyambira 2017, owotcha awiri omwe anali mgululi sanatsatire malamulo ena azachilengedwe nthawi 100% malinga ndi EPA (Malo Oyeretsera Malo Oyeretsera Nebraska, Yeretsani Magombe Aragonite mkati Utah), awiri anali osatsatira 75% ya nthawiyo (woyatsa moto wa Norlite mu New YorkChowotcha cha Heritage WTI mu Ohio), Ndipo awiri otsalawo sanatsatire 50% ya nthawiyo (Chowotchera Chitsulo cha Reynolds mu Arkansas, Woyatsira moto pa Madoko Oyera mkati Arkansas). EPA yapereka zigamulo zokwanira 65 pazoyendetsa moto zisanu ndi chimodzizi mzaka zisanu zapitazi.
Osati kuti asitikali amayembekezera zabwino. Ngakhale idatulutsa mamiliyoni a madola kumakampani owopsa kuti awotche AFFF, asitikali sanatchule magawo owotchera kapena kuwongolera zotulutsa. Asitikali adachotsanso zolembedwa zofunikira pazinyalala zowopsa, pozindikira pangano kuti owotcha "nditero osati akuyenera kupereka Zikalata Zosintha / Kuwononga. ” Ponena za kuyaka moto kwa AFFF, Pentagon sanafune kudziwa zomwe zinali kuchitika pa oyatsa moto awa.
Kuphatikiza ntchito zowotcha zopanda pake ndi poizoni wosagwira moto, chiwonongeko chambirichi cha madola mamiliyoni sichinathetse vuto la asitikali a AFFF monga kugawiranso.
WTI Heritage Incinerator, yomwe idawotcha osachepera 5m mapaundi a AFFF, ili mdera la anthu akuda ku East Liverpool, Ohio. Pamene idamangidwa mu 1993, nzika zinauzidwa izi zazikulu kutentha kumatha kuthana ndi kutuluka kwa ntchito ku mafakitole. M'malo moperekera malipiro East Liverpool idapeza zowononga zoyipa kwambiri ku US. Nyumba zochepa komanso sukulu zoyambira pafupi zakhala nyumba mpweya woipa modabwitsa a dioxin, furans, zitsulo zolemera, ndipo tsopano PFAS. Nzika zimazitcha kuti: kusankhana mitundu.
“Sitinapeze mayankho,” Alonzo Spencer anandiuza. Nzika zidayamba kufunsa WTI Heritage Incinerator za AFFF chaka chatha. Pofotokoza kuchuluka kwa khansa m'dera lake ndikudandaula za "kuyandikira kwa malowa kusukulu," Spencer samamvetsetsa chifukwa chomwe asitikali ndi owotchera amayesa kuwotcha AFFF, komanso chifukwa chake amabisalira. "Akuwoneka kuti alibe chilichonse chowalimbikitsa kunena zomwe akuchita mdera lino," adatero.
Atafika pagulu la anthu wamba ku Cohoes, NY, Norlite Hazardous Waste Incinerator adawotcha ndalama zosachepera 2.47m za AFFF ndi 5.3 miliyoni mapaundi a madzi akumwa a AFFF, mwina chifukwa chophwanya zilolezo zawo. Mumthunzi wa utsiwu pali malo a Saratoga Sites Public Housing, nyumba yanjerwa zanyumba pomwe mpweya umasokoneza bwalo lamasewera. Pazaka zinayi zapitazi, okhalamo adandiuza zakusenda utoto m'magalimoto awo ndikudzuka mausiku ena kuti ndikhale ndi ululu m'maso. Norlite, adati, "adawakhetsa misozi" m'nyumba zawo. Zomwe zingayambitse AFFF pamawonekedwe otentha kwambiri zimaphatikizapo zosakaniza munthawi yankhondo ya mpweya wokhetsa misozi.
Malo ngati East Liverpool ndi Cohoes ndi komwe AFFF titha kutsata. Pafupifupi mapaundi 5.5m a AFFF, 40% yamagulu ankhondo, adatumizidwa kumalo ophatikizira mafuta pomwe adasakanizidwa ndi mafuta ogwiritsira ntchito mafakitale. Sizikudziwika komwe mafuta amtundu wa AFFF adatsata pambuyo pake, ngakhale mgwirizano wa DOD umati kuyatsa moto kuyenera kukhala kumapeto. Ngati mumakhala ku United States, ndikotheka kuti mwina idawotchedwa kwanuko. Ndipo, chifukwa AFFF ndi "mankhwala osatha" omwe sawonongeka, kuwonongeka kumeneku kumatha kuvutitsa anthu m'mibadwo yambiri.
Ngakhale zambiri sizikudziwika ndi anthu, pali chifukwa chabwino choganiza kuti asitikali akupitiliza kuwotcha AFFF. Yakwana nthawi yoti akhazikitse malamulo oyenera amdziko pakuwotcha kwa AFFF ndikuyamba kufufuza mwamphamvu mdera lomwe AFFF idawotchedwa.
Dzinalo la Dipatimenti Yachitetezo limayankhula za ntchito yankhondo kuteteza, osati kuvulaza anthu ake. Malinga ndi nkhani zonse, Pentagon ikuika pachiwopsezo miyoyo ya anthu ambiri chifukwa chogwiritsa ntchito mosasamala za AFFF. Madera omwe akuwonera zoopsa zachilengedwezi amafuna kuti chilungamo chidziwike. Kodi boma lawo lidzawamva liti?
- David Bond ndi Director Associate, Center for the Development of Public Action (CAPA) ku Bennington College. Iye amatsogoleraKumvetsetsa PFOA”Polojekiti ndipo akulemba buku pa Kuwonongeka kwa PFAS.
