TCE is one of the most powerful chemicals that has ever been developed. It’s both an industrial solvent and a surgical antiseptic. Mechanics at Pease AFB probably began using TCE in the 1950s. TCE proved effective at degreasing metal parts. Not too many other chemicals could do this job, especially in high-use environments like air force bases.
TCE’s use declined for a brief period in the 1960s. But the increasing sophistication of military airplanes in the 1970s meant that mechanics used more and more TCE. Additionally, TCE’s main alternative, a chemical known as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, fell into disuse after the 1987 Montreal Protocol declared that it harmed the ozone layer.
As a result, TCE use began rising again. Rather than look to manufacture a safer chemical to use as a degreaser, they simply continued to produce and distribute TCE. That move lead to a host of public health problems, as outlined below.
PFOA is an extremely stable chemical that forms a long-lasting barrier between two substances. So, it’s used in a large number of consumer products, especially things like stain-resistant carpet and nonstick cookware. PFOA has industrial uses as well. Facilities like airports and air force bases use firefighting foam which contains PFOA.
Like many chemicals, if it’s used responsibly and carefully, PFOA is almost entirely safe. But if it’s used or stored carelessly, PFOA gradually seeps into the groundwater. Because it’s such a stable chemical, it remains in that water, and in the human body, for long periods of time.
