Evidence of US military base pollutant leakage reappears in Okinawa, Japan

In late January of this year, foam was observed emerging from a sewer manhole cover in a residential area in Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The Ginowan City authorities explained that the sewer beneath the manhole cover is connected to nearby Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Koji Harada, a professor of environmental hygiene at Kyoto Prefectural University, stated that the organic fluorine compounds (PFAS) detected in one liter of foam were approximately 268 nanograms, which is five times higher than Japan’s provisional target value. PFAS is a general term for various organic fluorine compounds such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Due to the difficulty in degrading these chemicals, they tend to accumulate in the environment and human bodies, and are often referred to as “permanent chemicals.” (CCTV News)