US Wildfire Suppressants Are A ‘Major’ Source Of Toxic Pollution, According To Study
According to new peer-reviewed research, pink wildfire suppressants that are spread by firefighting aircrafts to contain wide-spreading flames are filled with toxic heavy metals and are a major source of pollution.
Cadmium, arsenic, and chromium were some of the toxic heavy metals found in the suppressants. The metal levels were up to 3,000 times above the drinking water limits. The US federal government and chemical makers have concealed the contents of pink wildfire suppressants, claiming that 20% of the contents in aerial suppressants are “trade secrets.”
Between 2009 and 2021, around 440 million gallons of the suppressant were sprayed, according to the study.
“As rates of aerial fire retardant application have grown, likely so too have loadings of toxic metals released into the environment from their use, a trend which may intensify if wildfire frequency and intensity continues to increase,” the authors from University of Southern California wrote.
The study stated that the suppressants are a mix of water, fertilizer, and undisclosed ingredients. The pink color comes from added dye so that firefighters are able to see where it has been sprayed.
“Metals are likely used as anti-corrosion agents to prevent the plane’s tankers from disintegrating,” the authors wrote.
During the recent Los Angeles wildfires, the suppressant was dropped by up to 25 aircrafts daily to help contain the flames.
“The metal levels in the suppressants meet federal guidelines and the authors were initially most worried about environmental contamination, but the heavy use in residential areas this year raises a new set of concerns,” Daniel McCurry, a co-author, told the Guardian.
“Are the hazardous waste thresholds the appropriate bar for these to clear, or, if they’re being used in a massive scale in populated neighborhoods, do we need to get stricter on permissible concentrations of toxic compounds?” McCurry asked.
The authors also revealed in the study that they tested 10 different types of commonly used commercial suppressants to confirm the high levels of toxic metals.
“The producer of one of the suppressants has said a new generation of the product is greener, but until we are able to come across some of this material and test it, we really don’t know,” McCurry said.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.