On November 22, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a report on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The report noted many sites around the weapons complex have at least some level of exposure to the human-made chemicals, which have been designated a public health concern.

The report, Initial Assessment on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at Department of Energy Sites, summarizes DOE's current knowledge about its uses and releases of PFAS. DOE has a unique historical relationship to PFAS, which were first produced on an industrial scale for use in uranium separation activities during the Manhattan Project. DOE sites have also used commercial products, including firefighting foams, that are known to contain PFAS.

Due to their chemical stability, PFAS are highly persistent in the environment and have been detected in humans and wildlife. There is evidence that some PFAS can bioaccumulate and lead to adverse ecological and human health effects.

The report draws upon responses to a survey that DOE, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), distributed to its operating facilities to begin to assess its PFAS equities. The report is based on the information collected from 53 DOE sites across the country.

Results show that 13 sites have conducted onsite sampling or monitoring of environmental media beyond drinking water, with each site reporting some detections. Four sites have active PFAS monitoring programs. In addition, 17 sites have conducted historical records searches to identify possible use of PFAS in production and firefighting operations.

All but two sites indicated the presence of at least one on-site facility or event that may have involved PFAS-related activity. Landfills, fire departments, water treatment plants, Cold War-era liquid waste discharges, and fire training facilities are the top five facilities/events identified by DOE sites. All but seven sites indicated that they track and maintain inventories of PFAS containing materials. None of those inventories meet regulatory criteria that would trigger reporting under the Toxic Release Inventory requirements.

To continue the effort to better understand PFAS at DOE, the Department formed a PFAS Coordinating Committee (PCC) to work with DOE program offices to appropriately characterize historic PFAS use and releases at the site level. The PCC led the development of the PFAS Strategic Roadmap: DOE Commitments to Action, 2022-2025 (Roadmap), released in August 2022.

The Roadmap describes how the Department will continue to build on this Initial Assessment Report to identify the use and possible environmental release of PFAS from its current and past activities, as well as the actions DOE will take to ensure protection of workers, the public, and the environment. 

The Roadmap also details how the Department is working to identify solutions to PFAS-related challenges and how it will engage with regulators, tribal entities, and stakeholders.