Toxic Torts: 2 chemical spills plague Wisconsin airport

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In the past four months, two spills of cancer causing chemicals at the La Crosse Regional Airport were a result of humor error, reports the Wisconsin State Journal.

“The foam contained polyfluoroalkyl substances, a suspected carcinogen also known as PFAS. It’s the same substance that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has pointed to as the cause of drinking water pollution on French Island,” the report stated.

The report revealed that both spills accidentally released firefighting foam also known as ‘aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)’  according to multiple spill reports submitted by the airport to the DNR.

The first spill occurred on Feb. 1, 2024 and  the second spill happened on May 9, 2024 when an airport mechanic mistakenly released 125 gallons of foam solution onto the airport tarmac, the State Journal reported.

According to the State Journal, more than 4,000 French Island, Wis. residents have been drinking bottled water since 2019, when testing identified dangerous levels of PFAS in a majority of the town’s wells. The DNR has linked some of the contamination to the airport’s burn pits, where AFFF foam was used during training exercises.