The state is moving forward with efforts to collect and dispose of roughly 25,000 gallons of firefighting foam that contain harmful forever chemicals known as PFAS.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is partnering with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to accept bids for the state’s PFAS-containing firefighting foam collection and disposal program. The current two-year state budget provided $1 million for the two agencies to gather and safely dispose of PFAS foam across the state.
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of thousands of chemicals that don’t break down easily in the environment. Research has shown links to serious health effects that include increased risk of kidney and testicular cancers, thyroid disease and fertility issues.