They’re hard to pronounce and nearly impossible to get rid of — PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These synthetic compounds have been used for decades in everything from fast-food wrappers and nonstick cookware to stain-resistant clothing, cleaning products, and firefighting foam.
Now, they’ve found their way into drinking water, soil, air, and the bloodstreams of nearly every American — 99% of the population, according to federal research.
According to The Associated Press, that number hits even closer to home for residents living near Cannon Air Force Base in eastern New Mexico, where state officials say years of using PFAS-laden firefighting foam have contaminated groundwater and spread beyond the base’s boundaries.
On Thursday night, New Mexico health and environmental officials released the results of a $1.2 million study that tested the blood of nearly 630 residents near the contamination plume. The findings were grim: 99.7% of participants had at least one type of PFAS chemical in their blood, with the most common matching those found in firefighting foams.
While such widespread detection mirrors national trends, some residents showed dramatically higher concentrations than others. Roughly one-quarter of those tested had PFAS levels in the highest concentration tier outlined in national guidelines, suggesting a direct link to groundwater contamination migrating from the base, officials said.
New Mexico Environment Secretary James Kenney told residents his department is committed to helping the community but acknowledged that the state remains locked in a legal battle with the U.S. Department of Defense over the contamination.
At Cannon Air Force Base, PFAS levels in groundwater have reached 26,200 parts per trillion, exceeding state and federal drinking water standards by more than 650,000%.
Cannon officials reported earlier this year that they have spent more than $73 million investigating the problem and testing pilot treatment systems. But Kenney said it’s long past time for the federal government to take action beyond the base’s perimeter.
“We need the whole of New Mexico to stand up and say we’ve had it,” Kenney said.
The health consequences of PFAS exposure are still being studied, but research has already linked the chemicals to elevated cholesterol, kidney and testicular cancers, changes in liver enzymes, and decreased birth weights.
According to a state report released in August, some PFAS chemicals can remain in the bloodstream for years after exposure ends. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found that many PFAS compounds take weeks to years to decrease by even half in human blood.
“It’s not easy to draw a bright line between exposure and health effects,” said Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group. “There are so many different factors that affect individual health outcomes and also affect what levels you will see in your blood.”
Data from the study showed that PFAS levels tended to rise with age and were higher in men and those with military or aviation backgrounds — patterns that align with national trends.
Environmental watchdogs say PFAS contamination is far more widespread than once believed. Using federal and state data, they’ve mapped hundreds of hot spots across the country, including military bases, industrial sites, and public water systems that exceed EPA’s safety recommendations.
That includes another base in southern New Mexico, where researchers recently found some of the highest PFAS levels in wildlife and plants worldwide. State officials there are launching a separate health survey to assess exposure around a nearby lake.
At Thursday’s meeting in Clovis, the crowd was small but vocal. Residents expressed frustration over falling property values and the toll on rural livelihoods, with many saying their concerns have gone unheard for too long.
New Mexico is one of hundreds of plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit in South Carolina seeking to hold manufacturers and users of PFAS firefighting foam accountable for widespread contamination.
Meanwhile, the state is taking its own steps. A new New Mexico law, discussed in a webinar this week, calls for phasing out and eventually banning products that contain intentionally added PFAS.
For communities near Cannon Air Force Base, that can’t come soon enough.
