PFAS Contamination Found Near U.S. Military Base

Residents near the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, discovered large amounts of white “toxic foam” spilling from sewer manhole covers in their neighborhood. Professional testing detected high concentrations of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the foam, reaching 268 nanograms per liter—five times Japan’s provisional national standard. PFAS are “forever chemicals” that resist natural degradation, capable of long-term contamination of groundwater and soil. The affected sewer network is directly connected to the internal pipeline system of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, pointing to the base as the source of the contamination.