PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Navy has removed 1,012 gallons of Aqueous Film Forming Foam concentrate from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility as of Monday.
What You Need To Know
- The Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill started the AFFF removal process on April 8
- “We are on schedule to safely complete the removal of all AFFF from the facility,” Rear Adm. Marc Williams said in a recorded video
- On Nov. 29, 2022, the Navy spilled 13,000 gallons of AFFF concentrate, with some seeping out of the Red Hill facility
- The Navy is now in the process of closing the Red Hill facility
That accounts for 99% of the concentrate in Red Hill’s AFFF system, according to a news release.
The Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill started the AFFF removal process on April 8, after receiving approval from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Hawaii Department of Health.
“We are on schedule to safely complete the removal of all AFFF from the facility,” Rear Adm. Marc Williams, deputy commander for the NCTF-RH, said in a recorded video.
On Nov. 29, 2022, the Navy spilled 13,000 gallons of AFFF concentrate, with some seeping out of the Red Hill facility.
AFFF is used to suppress fires and contains per- and polyfluoralkyl substances, or PFAS, which are known as “forever chemicals,” because they are very slow to degrade. PFAs increase the risk of certain cancers, high blood pressure in pregnant women and other health problems.
The AFFF spill came after the 2021 fuel spill that contaminated drinking water for 93,000 residents. Both incidents eroded Hawaii residents' trust in the Navy.
Last month, the Navy took over responsibility of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, after the Joint Task Force-Red Hill drained 104 millions of gallons of fuel from the tanks. The NCTF-RH is now working to complete the closure process, which includes removing sludge from the fuel tanks, cleaning 16 storage tanks, removing 10 miles of pipeline, and completing environmental remediation.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com..