Brunswick Landing removes toxic foam from airport hangar
Hangar 6 held 975 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam concentrate, or AFFF, containing a toxic PFAS chemical compound known as PFOS.
A malfunction at Brunswick Executive Airport's Hangar 4, which is owned by the Navy but operated by Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, dumped 1,450 gallons of AFFF concentrate mixed with 50,000 gallons of water last summer.
The spill prompted ongoing cleanup and monitoring efforts as well as a push to get rid of the foam at the airport in Brunswick and across the state. Concern grew around Hangar 6, which some have speculated is leaking harmful chemicals based on the testing data around the airport that Friends of Merrymeeting Bay has collected over the years, though a company hired to assess risk at the hangar said there is no leak.
The authority had previously turned off the AFFF system in Hangar 6 on March 28 and installed updated fire suppression methods that do not use PFAS-containing foam.
According to a news release from MRRA, the authority worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineer Research and Development Center to remove the foam concentrate. The ERDC is evaluating how to properly destroy the foam, the release states.
"This partnership showcases a proactive approach to addressing environmental concerns and finding solutions for complex issues," said MRRA Executive Director Daniel Stevenson. "The testing of alternative technologies reflects a dedication to research and development in order to mitigate the impact of PFAS contamination on the environment and threat to public health."
Maine has struggled to determine how to dispose of its stockpile of toxic AFFF. The most common disposal methods — incineration, landfilling and deep underground storage — all have drawbacks.
Following the August spill, cleanup company Clean Harbors trucked 12,500 gallons of foam and tainted rinse water to its incinerator outside of Sarnia, Ontario, and 10,000 gallons to its incinerator in El Dorado, Arkansas.
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