An environmental group is worried after finding PFAS, better known as forever chemicals, in waterways around Pittsburgh International Airport. Some of the readings and data are thousands of times higher than EPA standards.

According to the environmental group Three Rivers Waterkeeper, one of the places that has forever chemicals is Montour Run. This concerns them because of the Montour Trail. People are near the water, pets play in it, and people are exposed to these forever chemicals.

Since 2023, the group has been checking water around the region for forever chemicals. They found waterways near the airport to be hot spots. Some of their data found levels of 400 parts per trillion. EPA standards for drinking water are 4 parts per trillion.

Montour Run leads to the Ohio River, a source of drinking water, which is treated.

“As a ratepayer, I don’t necessarily want to pay to clean an industry’s waste out of the waterways when they should not be dumping it in the first place,” Three Rivers Waterkeeper executive director Heather Hulton VanTassel said.

Perhaps the most alarming numbers for the organization included the reporting data from the airport, which included discharges of more than 50,000 parts per trillion. The group thought that was a typo.

“The number was so large that we just couldn’t even think that was real,” Hulton VanTassel said.

Airports across the country are a source of PFAS, largely due to the FAA-mandated firefighting foam they used until recently. These chemicals don’t break down quickly, hence the nickname forever chemicals. Once they are in a person, it’s not easy getting them out.

“They bioaccumulate, which means they stay in our system, and the more we consume, the more we have in our system,” Hulton VanTassel said.

Three Rivers Waterkeeper has spoken with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection to work on preventing these chemicals from being in the water. They said being proactive will prevent further problems.

“We should take steps before we start seeing long-term side effects in our communities,” Hulton VanTassel said.

They add that there have been efforts locally and by the state to prevent exposure and contamination from these chemicals.

The Allegheny County Airport Authority provided KDKA-TV with the following statement on Wednesday afternoon.

Public Safety is the top priority at the Allegheny County Airport Authority. Previously, the Federal Aviation Administration mandated that U.S. airports utilize AFFF. 

Following the recent change in federal mandates that allow for Fluorine Free Foam, the Airport Authority implemented Fluorine Free Foam more than a year ago. AFFF is no longer utilized by the Airport Authority. 

Additionally, ACAA firefighters are recognized experts and teach courses to regional fire departments and other airports that include tactics to utilize Fluorine Free Foam during an emergency response. 

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