Fears rise that military bases may be leaking toxins into drinking water

Three more MoD sites are marked for urgent investigation into 'forever chemicals' by new risk screening tool

- Rachel Salvidge

Three UK military bases have been marked for investigation over fears they may be leaking toxic "forever chemicals" into drinking water sources and environmental sites.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will investigate RAF Marham in Norfolk, RM Chivenor in Devon and AAC Middle Wallop in Hampshire after concerns they may be leaching toxic PFAS chemicals into their surroundings. The sites were identified using a new PFAS risk screening tool developed by the Environment Agency (EA) to locate and prioritise pollution threats.

RAF Marham and AAC Middle Wallop lie within drinking water safeguard zones. RM Chivenor borders protected shellfish waters, a special area of conservation, and the River Taw an important salmon river.

PFAS, or perand polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals widely used in firefighting foams and industrial processes as well as in consumer products including waterproof fabrics, non-stick cookware, cosmetics and food packaging. They are known as forever chemicals because they do not break down easily in the environment, and pollute soil and water across the world. Some PFAS build up in the human body and have been linked to cancers, immune system disruption and reproductive disorders.