Many US military veterans have significantly higher levels of Pfas "forever chemicals" in their blood compared to non-veterans, according to new peer-reviewed research. This raises serious concerns about the health risks faced by service members who have served at polluted military bases.

Elevated Pollution Levels

The study, led by Brown University, highlights that groundwater, surface water, and soil around military bases exhibit some of the highest levels of Pfas pollution in the United States. These chemicals are commonly used in firefighting foam during training and emergencies.

While the issue has been recognized for over a decade, this is the first study to compare blood levels of Pfas in veterans with those in civilians. The analysis of federal health data revealed that the problem is particularly pronounced among younger veterans.

Key Findings

  • An estimated 23 million veterans aged 20–39 have Pfas levels in their blood that are between 13% and 24% higher than non-veterans, depending on the specific compound.
  • Younger veterans are 18% more likely than their non-veteran counterparts to exceed the threshold for medical monitoring.
  • Approximately 13 million, or 58%, of all veterans in this age group exceed the threshold set by the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Christian Hoover, a study co-author and pre-doctoral fellow in epidemiology at Brown’s School of Public Health, stated,

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"There is some amount of urgency here, and my hope is that this might accelerate the conversations that the government might have about providing [Pfas health monitoring] to all veterans."