Over 700 U.S. military installations have reported the presence of the contaminants stemming from the use of a The firefighting foam containing the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, known as PFAS.

Lawmakers in the House Armed Services Committee met on September 15th  met to discuss the Department of Defense’s progress in replacing PFAS and dealing with past contaminations, Military Times reports. In 2019 the committee discussed replacing PFAS firefighting foam by the 2024, as well as dealing with past contaminations.

“Are you confident the Department of Defense will be able to not only be able to identify an effective PFAS free foam but also by 2024 install PFAS free foams all all Department installations?” Alabama Republican Rep. Mo Brooks asked Herb Nelson, director of DoD’s Strategic Environment Research and Development Program.

“I don’t know if ‘confident’ is the right word, but quite optimistic,” Nelson testified.

Maureen Sullivan, the deputy assistant secretary of defense acquisition and sustainment testified that, “The DoD also is working with the National Toxicology Program to look at potential human health problems from the alternatives.”

Read the full reporting on the topic by Military Times here.

Photo by David Vergun, DOD