U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut wants the U.S. military to stop purchasing products that contain PFAS, a toxic chemical commonly found in firefighting foam, food service ware, carpets, rugs and cosmetics.
Blumenthal says he will introduce an amendment to a military funding bill called the National Defense Authorization Act next week. It would prohibit the Defense Department from purchasing products that contain PFAS.
“They ought to find alternative products. And there are more and more of them that are equally effective for their uses but avoid the kind of health hazards that PFAS poses.”
Blumenthal says high levels of PFAS have been known to compromise the body’s immune system. He’s also sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asking for a study of the relationship between exposure to PFAS and COVID-19 infection.
“I hope that study would be done quickly because the reaction of human immune systems is extraordinarily important to the effects of COVID-19 on human health.”
