NguDavid Bond, The Guardian, Mashi 25, i-2021
One yamakhemikhali anobuthi ahlala njalo, angenakonakala angenziwa umuntu - i-Aqueous Film Forming Foam (i-AFFF), eyi-PFAS "yamakhemikhali angunaphakade" - ishiswa ngasese eduze kwemiphakathi eyayincishwe amathuba e-United States. Abantu abalandela lo msebenzi wokuqhekeka? Akuyona enye ngaphandle kwezempi yase-US.
As idatha entsha eshicilelwe yiBennington College kuleli sonto, amasosha aseMelika ayalele ukuthi kushiswe ngasese amaphawundi angaphezu kuka-20m emfucumfucu ye-AFFF ne-AFFF phakathi kuka-2016-2020. Lokho kwenzeka ngaphandle kokuthi abukho ubufakazi bokuthi ukushiswa komlilo empeleni kuwabhubhisa la makhemikhali okwenziwa. Eqinisweni, kunesizathu esizwakalayo sokukholelwa ukuthi i-AFFF evuthayo imane ikhiphe lobu buthi emoyeni iye emiphakathini eseduze, emapulazini nasemizileni yamanzi. IPentagon iqhuba kahle ucwaningo olunobuthi futhi ibhalise impilo yezigidi zabantu baseMelika njengezihloko zokuhlola ezingazi.
I-AFFF yasungulwa futhi yathandwa yi-US Armed Forces. Kwethulwa ngesikhathi sempi yaseVietnam ukulwa nemililo kaphethiloli emikhunjini yasolwandle nasemikhunjini yomoya, i-AFFF kwakuyizingane zobunjiniyela bamakhemikhali ezakha isibopho samangqamuzana esiqine kakhulu kunanoma yini eyaziwayo emvelweni. Uma sekwenziwe, lesi sibopho se-carbon-fluorine cishe ayinakonakala. Ngokwenqaba ukuba ngophethiloli, lesi sibopho se-herculean sinqoba futhi sithambisa ngisho ne-infernos evuthayo kakhulu.
Cishe kusukela lapho beqala ukusebenzisa i-AFFF, amasosha ahlangana ubufakazi obukhathazayo mayelana nokuphikelela kwemvelo kwamakhemikhali wokwenziwa kwe-carbon-fluorine, abo ukusondelana kwezinto eziphilayo, kanye nomthelela wazo empilweni yabantu. Ngenkathi amabutho ahlomile aseMelika eba ngumthengi omkhulu kunabo bonke we-AFFF emhlabeni, imibuzo ekhathazayo ngokuthi kwenzekani ngemuva kokuthi umlilo ususwe eceleni. Izizinda zamasosha aseMelika ekhaya nakwamanye amazwe zikhuthaze ukufafazwa okukhohlisayo kwe-AFFF kuma-drill ajwayelekile ngenkathi izicishamlilo zitshelwa ukuthi iphephe njengensipho.
I-synthetic carbon-fluorine chemistry, manje ehlukaniswe njengamakhemikhali e-per- kanye ne-poly-fluorinated compounds (PFAS), manje sekuzobhekwa njengokubhebhethekisa inkinga yezemvelo engakaze ibonwe. Ngemuva komzuzu omfushane wokusetshenziswa okusebenzayo, amakhemikhali e-PFAS eza ekuhluphekeni kwempilo ngokuhamba ngokuzulazula, ubuthi obunamandla, nokungafi okungahambi kahle. Njengoba manje sesazi, ukuvezwa kokulandelwa kwamanani alokhu “amakhemikhali angunaphakade”Ixhunyaniswe ngokuqinile nenqwaba ye- umdlavuza, ukuphazamiseka kokukhula, ukungasebenzi komzimba, nokungazali. Ukuvezwa nakho kuxhunyaniswe ne ukutheleleka okuthuthukile kweCovid-19 futhi ukusebenza kahle komuthi wokugoma.
Kusukela EPortsmouth, eNew Hampshire kuya Colorado Springs, Colorado, iminyaka eyishumi edlule ibone imiphakathi eseduze nezizinda zamasosha ivuka ebumnyameni bokungcola kwePFAS emanzini abo, enhlabathini nasegazini labo. "Ukwenza imephu yezindawo zokungcola kwePFAS e-United States, uMnyango Wezokuvikela ubonakala njengomuntu obambe iqhaza elikhulu kulolu hlu olubi," kusho uDave Andrews we-Environmental Working Group (EWG).
Ekuhlolweni kwayo kokuqala kwezisekelo zamasosha ngoDisemba 2016, kwahlonywa amabutho ahlomile Amasayithi we-393 lokungcola kwe-AFFF e-United States, kufaka phakathi amasayithi ayi-126 lapho izinhlanganisela ze-PFAS zingene emanzini okuphuza omphakathi. (UMnyango Wezokuvikela unezinhlelo ezisebenzayo zokulungisa izingxenyana ezincane zalezo zingosi.) Ngo-2019, i-DOD yavuma ukuthi lezo zinombolo “kubalwa ngaphansi. ” Imephu edumile ye-Environmental Working Group yokungcola kwePFAS ibeka inani lamanje lezindawo zamasosha ezingcolisiwe e- 704, inombolo eqhubeka nokukhuphuka.
Njengoba nesikweletu esingahle sibe khona. Ngenkathi abanye befaka icala lokuphikisana nokwenziwa yi-AFFF, izigxivizo zeminwe zamasosha aseMelika zigcwele indawo yesehlakalo. Lapho ososayensi bezinyunyana bethuthela ukuyoshicilela ukubuyekeza okuphelele kwamakhemikhali anobuthi we-AFFF e2018, izikhulu ze-DOD zibize leso sayensi "iphupho elibuhlungu lobudlelwano nomphakathi”Futhi wazama cindezela okutholakele.
Ngaphandle kokulahla ama-imeyili angaphakathi, ezempi zisaphethe inqwaba ye-AFFF. Njengoba i-EPA futhi isho ezungeze i-US iqala ukuqoka I-AFFF into enobungozi, Izinqolobane zamasosha ze-AFFF ziqala ukwengeza esikweletini sezinkanyezi kubhalansi lamasosha. Mhlawumbe becabanga ukuthi iTrump Administration yethule umzuzu ofanele, iPentagon yanquma ukushisa inkinga yabo ye-AFFF e2016.
Ngaphandle kokumelana nomlilo okungajwayelekile kwe-AFFF, ukushisa ngomlilo buthule kwaba yindlela ekhethwe kakhulu yibutho ukuphatha i-AFFF. "Besazi ukuthi lokhu kuzoba ngumsebenzi obizayo, ngoba kusho ukuthi sizobe sishisa okuthile okwenzelwe ukucisha imililo, ”Kusho uSteve Schneider, umphathi weHazardous Disposal wophiko lwezokusebenza lwe-DOD, uthe ngonyaka ka-2017 njengoba umsebenzi uqhubeka.
Imininingwane eyodwa kuphela eye yaphazamisa lolu hlelo olukhulu: abukho ubufakazi bokuthi ukushiswa komlilo kubulala i-chemistry enobuthi ye-AFFF.
Ukuqaphela "imiphumela enamandla yokuvimbela ilangabi" ye-carbon-fluorine bond, umbiko we-2020 EPA uphethe ngokuthi, "Akuqondakali kahle ukuthi ukusebenza komlilo okushisa okuphezulu kusebenza ngempumelelo ekubhubhiseni ngokuphelele i-PFAS. "
Kumhlahlandlela wezobuchwepheshe wango-2019 wezishisi, i-EPA ibhale ukuthi ukuqonda kwethuukubhujiswa okushisayo”Ye-PFAS incane, incishisiwe, futhi okwamanje ayisebenzi. Umkhandlu omkhulu wezemvelo wenqabile ukugunyaza ukushiswa kwe-AFFF ngonyaka odlule, waphawula ukuthi ukushiswa komlilo kusenjalo “indawo esebenzayo yocwaningo. "
Futhi ukungabaza okunjalo kwakungagcini kuphela ezinhlanganweni zemvelo. Noma nje ibithumela amaloli amathangi e-AFFF kwizishisi ngo-2017, ezempi uqobo lwazo zathi “i-chemistry yokushisa okuphezulu kwe-PFOS […] ayikaziwa"(I-PFOS iyisithako esikhulu se-PFAS ku-AFFF), futhi"imikhiqizo eminingi engenzeka futhi izobe ingagculisi imvelo. "
Kepha lokho akuvimbanga iPentagon ukuthi iqhubeke futhi ishise ngokuthula ikhemikhali noma kunjalo. Ngenkathi amasosha ethumela i-AFFF kwizishisi ezweni lonke, i-EPA, abalawuli bezwe, nososayensi baseyunivesithi bonke baxwayisa ngokuthi ukufaka i-AFFF emazingeni okushisa aphezulu kakhulu kungahle kuqubuke uphuzo lwabathakathi lobuthi obushukela, ukuthi ubuchwepheshe obukhona bokubhema intambo buzoba akwanele ukuqapha ukukhishwa okunoshevu ingasaphathwa eyokubabamba, nalokho amakhemikhali ayingozi angahle awe ezindaweni ezizungezile. Kukalwa isikweletu sayo ngokumelene nempilo yale miphakathi, iPentagon yashaya umdlalo.
Njengokunye okuningi kuTrump Administration, ukugijimela budedengu kokushisa i-AFFF kwenzeka cishe ngokuphelele emehlweni omphakathi. I- ukubika ngesibindi kukaSharon Lerner kwaNqamula futhi Icala Lobulungiswa Lomhlaba elibhekene ne-DOD kwavula iwindi kulokhu kudabukisa ngo-2019. Njengoba imininingwane igcwele emiphakathini eseduze nezishisi, ukumelwa okunamandla kusize ekuqhubekeni nomqondo wokuqhekeka komsebenzi wonke kuze kube sekubonakaleni okungathandeki Ohio futhi I-New York.
Kulobu busika, ngibambisene no amaqembu ezakhamizi futhi abameli bakazwelonke ukuhlanganisa nokushicilela yonke imininingwane etholakalayo ngokushiswa kwe-AFFF. Ngenkathi abafundi bami kanye nami sihlangana ndawonye ukuthunyelwa kwemikhumbi ehlakazekile, sathola imininingwane ngezindawo zokushisa umlilo kanye nemiphakathi eseduze, futhi saqala ukusizungeza ngokuwa okunobuthi kwe-AFFF evuthayo, lo msebenzi wezempi wathola incazelo entsha: ubudedengu obukhulu.
Akukona nje kuphela ukuthi ukushiswa kwe-AFFF akululeki kabi ngokweqile, kepha abashisi bokushisa imfucumfucu abayisithupha abavunyelwe ukwenza kanjalo bangumkhuba wokwephula umthetho wezemvelo. Kusukela ngo-2017, izishisi ezimbili ezinezinkontileka bezingahambisani neminye imithetho yezemvelo eyi-100% yesikhathi ngokusho kwe-EPA (Clean Harbors incinerator in Nebraska, Hlanza Amatheku Aragonite ku Utah), ababili bebengahambisani no-75% wesikhathi (iNinerite incinerator in I-New YorkIsishisi se-Heritage WTI esiku- Ohio), kanti ababili abasele bebengahambisani no-50% wesikhathi (Isishisi sezinsimbi iReynolds Metals in Arkansas, Isikhungo esishisayo sokuhlanza amachweba eH Arkansas). I-EPA ikhiphe izinyathelo ezingama-65 zokuqinisekisa ukuthi lezi zishisi ziyashiswa kule minyaka emihlanu eyedlule.
Hhayi ukuthi ezempi zazilindele okungcono kakhulu. Noma ikhiphe izigidi zamadola embonini kadoti oyingozi ukushisa i-AFFF, amasosha awazange acacise imingcele yokushisa noma izilawuli zokuphuma. Amasosha abuye ahoxisa nezidingo ezijwayelekile zemibhalo kadoti oyingozi, esivumelwaneni sokuthi izishisi “kuthanda hhayi kudingeka ukuthi unikeze Izitifiketi Zokulahlwa / Zokubhujiswa. ” Uma kukhulunywa ngokushisa i-AFFF, iPentagon ibingafuni ukwazi ukuthi kwenzakalani ngempela kulezi zishisi.
Ukuxuba imisebenzi yokusha okushisayo nobuthi obumelana nomlilo, lokhu kudonswa kwezigidi zamadola akuzange kuyiqede inkinga yamasosha ye-AFFF kepha kuyisabalalise kabusha.
I-WTI Heritage Incinerator, eyashisa okungenani ama-5m amakhilogremu e-AFFF, isendaweni yabasebenzi abamnyama e-East Liverpool, e-Ohio. Ngenkathi yakhiwa ngo-1993, izakhamizi zatshelwa le mammoth ukushisa kungasiza ekunqandeni ukufuduka kwemisebenzi yasefemini. Esikhundleni semali ekhokhelwayo i-East Liverpool ithole ukungcoliswa okubi kakhulu e-US. Imizi enesizotha nesikole samabanga aphansi esiseduze sekuyikhaya labo ukukhishwa okuvamile okwethusayo yama-dioxin, ama-furans, izinsimbi ezisindayo, futhi manje yi-PFAS. Izakhamizi zikubiza kanjalo: ukucwaswa kwemvelo.
"Asitholanga zimpendulo," Alonzo Spencer ungitshele. Izakhamizi zaqala ukubuza i-WTI Heritage Incinerator nge-AFFF ngonyaka odlule. Echaza ngokwanda kwamazinga omdlavuza emphakathini wakhe futhi ekhathazekile “ngokusondela kwale ndawo ezikoleni,” uSpencer akaqondi ukuthi kungani amasosha nabashisi bezama ukushisa i-AFFF, nokuthi kungani beyimfihlo ngakho. "Kubonakala sengathi abanaso nesisusa sokuba neqiniso ngalokho abakwenzayo kulo mphakathi," esho.
Ifakwe endaweni yabantu abasebenza ngokukhohlakala eCohoes, NY, iNorlite Hazardous Waste Incinerator yashisa okungenani ama-2.47m amakhilogremu we-AFFF kanye namakhilogremu ayizigidi ezingama-5.3 wamanzi angcolile e-AFFF, okungenzeka ukuthi yephula izimvume zabo zokusebenza. Emthunzini wentuthu enkulu kunamaSaratoga Sites Public Housing, okuyindawo eyakhiwe ngezitini ezimfushane lapho kukhishwa khona umkhovu njalo ebaleni lokudlala. Eminyakeni emine edlule, izakhamizi zingitshele ngopende oxebukayo ezimotweni zabo futhi ngivuka ubusuku obuthile ngibona ubuhlungu emehlweni abo. AbakwaNorlite, bathi, "babafaka izinyembezi" emizini yabo. Imikhiqizo engaba khona yokubeka i-AFFF emazingeni okushisa aphezulu kakhulu ifaka phakathi izithako zesikhathi sempi segesi wezinyembezi.
Izindawo ezifana ne-East Liverpool neChoes yizindawo ze-AFFF esingazilandela. Amanye amaphawundi angu-5.5m we-AFFF, u-40% wesitokisi samasosha, athunyelwa ezikhungweni “zokuxubana nophethiloli” lapho yayixubene khona nophethiloli wokusetshenziswa ezimbonini. Akucaci ukuthi uphethiloli olithwele i-AFFF uye kuphi, yize inkontileka ye-DOD ithi ukushiswa komlilo kufanele kube ukuphela. Uma uhlala e-United States, kungenzeka ukuthi kushe emphakathini wakho. Futhi, ngoba i-AFFF "ikhemikhali laphakade" elingonakalisi, lokho kungcola kungahle kuhluphe imiphakathi ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.
Yize okuningi kusabonakala emphakathini, kunesizathu esizwakalayo sokucabanga ukuthi amasosha ayaqhubeka nokushisa i-AFFF. Sekuyisikhathi esidlule manje sokubeka imikhawulo kazwelonke enengqondo ngokushiswa kwe-AFFF nokuqala uphenyo olunamandla emiphakathini lapho i-AFFF yashiswa khona.
Lona kanye igama loMnyango Wezokuvikela likhuluma ngomsebenzi wamasosha ukuvikela, hhayi ukulimaza, abantu bawo. Ngawo wonke ama-akhawunti, iPentagon ibeka engcupheni izimpilo zabantu abangenakubalwa ngokusebenzisa kwayo budedengu i-AFFF. Imiphakathi ebona le nhlekelele yezemvelo kuqala ifuna ubulungiswa nokuziphendulela. Uhulumeni wabo uzobezwa nini?
- UDavid Bond unguMqondisi Oxhumene Naye, Isikhungo Sokuthuthukiswa Kwezenzo Zomphakathi (CAPA) eBennington College. Uhola “Ukuqonda i-PFOA”Futhi ubhala incwadi ngo Ukungcola kwePFAS.
