High Levels of Forever Chemicals Detected in Wildlife Near Military Base

Hunters should avoid consuming animals they harvest near New Mexico’s Holloman Air Force Base due to harmful “forever chemicals” detected in wildlife and plants in the area. (Photo by Russ Jenkins)

New Mexico environmental regulators and health officials are warning hunters that harmful chemicals known to cause cancer in people have been found at record levels in birds, small mammals, and plants at a lake near Holloman Air Force Base.

According to AP News, state officials say the findings are some of the highest levels documented in wildlife and plants worldwide. The state contracted researchers who have tested muscle, liver, and bone tissue in ducks, other birds and rodents as well as eggshells, algae and even skin shed by a rattlesnake.

Several states have issued recent health advisories to hunters and others about “forever chemicals” known as PFAS showing up in wild animals that are hunted for sport and food. As the scope of the problem widens, wildlife managers and scientists have been busy expanding testing.

PFAS chemicals, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, don’t degrade or do so slowly in the environment and can remain in a person’s bloodstream for life.

In New Mexico, the concern is focused on the wastewater reservoir for Holloman Air Force Base, which is near White Sands National Park. Although no hunting is allowed there, state officials worry that the lake serves as a stopover for ducks and other migratory birds that could end up being harvested elsewhere.

“The levels of PFAS contamination in Holloman Lake are deeply concerning, particularly for hunters who may have consumed waterfowl from the area over the past decade,” said Miranda Durham, the medical director for the state Department of Health.

Durham and other state officials are using the report to put more pressure on federal officials amid ongoing legal battles over cleanup at Holloman and at Cannon Air Force Base in eastern New Mexico.

Contamination, mostly from firefighting foam used in training exercises, has been detected at hundreds of military installations across the United States. Experts claim the cleanup will take years and reach into the billions of dollars.

Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, says the PFA levels in wildlife at the lake are alarming, but not surprising since the chemicals — used in nonstick pans and many other products — are pervasive in the environment.

“These chemicals accumulate in the body over time, creating serious long-term health risks, including cancer, developmental harm and immune system suppression,” Stoiber told The Associated Press. “The situation at Holloman Lake highlights just how much more we need to understand about PFAS contamination in wildlife and the broader environment.”