What are PFAS?
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) is the umbrella term for thousands of synthetic fluorinated chemicals. PFAS have been widely used because they repel water, stains, and oil. Many consumer products contain PFAS such as some non-stick cookware, outdoor clothing, paper packaging for food, fabrics, and carpets. They have been used in manufacturing and are contained in a substance called aqueous film-forming firefighting foam (AFFF) used at military bases and airfields.
PFAS are not naturally occurring. They have been manufactured, used, and disposed of for decades. The characteristics that make PFAS compounds effective for so many uses also prevents them from breaking down in the environment. These substances may remain in air, soil, surface water, and groundwater and they can be transported distances from the source.
Why is NASA Investigating PFAS?
NASA is proactively conducting investigations into past uses and potential exposures of PFAS at all NASA sites guided by federal and state health and environmental agencies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) refers to PFAS as an emerging contaminant, and in 2016, the agency established a nonregulatory lifetime Health Advisory (HA) for two PFAS compounds that have been more widely studied. Several states have established regulatory limits for PFAS exposure, and federal regulatory actions are anticipated. The state of Florida has developed Provisional Groundwater and Soil Cleanup Target Levels utilizing the same calculations that developed the numerical standards in Contaminated Cleanup Target Levels,Chapter 62-777, Florida Administrative Code. KSC is conducting a center-wide PFAS assessment to evaluate the extent of PFAS-affected areas, including, but not limited to, fire stations, former fire training areas, suspected AFFF use areas, sewage treatment plants, sludge disposal areas, and landfills.
NASA and Kennedy Space Center are committed to protecting human health and the environment in all its activities and are conducting these investigations to fully understand the extent of PFAS impacts on the center. KSC is developing models of how PFAS may be moving in the environment, identifying potential exposure pathways, gaining an understanding of groundwater/surface water interactions, and taking steps to implement environmental cleanups where needed.
To learn more about KSC’s PFAS investigation in the South Repeater Building Area, see here.
Kennedy Space Center PFAS Documents
Information Sheet – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Investigations at Kennedy Space Center, October 2021
Information Sheet – An Update on PFAS Investigations, June 2023
Information Sheet – Moving Forward With our PFAS Investigation, October 2024
PFAS Assessment Work Plan, Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 007, Kennedy Space Center, April 2018
PFAS Confirmatory Sampling Report, Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 007, Kennedy Space Center, June 2019
Phase I Solid Waste Management Unit Assessment and Confirmatory Sampling Report, Center-Wide Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Potential Release Location 237, Kennedy Space Center, September 2019
Phase II Solid Waste Management Unit Assessment Work Plan, Center-Wide Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Potential Release Location (PRL) 237, Kennedy Space Center, March 2020
Predictive Integrated Stratigraphic Modeling (PRISM®) Work Plan, Center-Wide Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Potential Release Location (PRL) 237, Kennedy Space Center, April 2020
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Assessment Report, Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, SWMU 007, Kennedy Space Center, May 2021
Phase II and III Solid Waste Management Unit Assessment and Confirmatory Sampling Report for Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances, Potential Release Location 237, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, July 2022
Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, SWMU 007, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Assessment Report Addendum, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, July 2022
Fire Station #1 Area, SWMU 116, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Progress Report, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, January 2023
Fire Station #2, Former Sewage Treatment Plant #17, and Towway Area-SWMU 114, PFAS Site Assessment Progress Report, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, January 2023
Fire Station #3 Area, Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 106, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Progress Report, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, January 2023
Contractor Support Building #7 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Work Plan, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, January 2023
Former SLF Fire and Rescue Building SWMU #120 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Work Plan, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, January 2023
Morpheus Test Area SWMU #119 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Work Plan, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, March 2023
Sewage Treatment Plant #1 Area, SWMU 117, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Progress Report, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, April 2023
Base Support Building and Kennedy Athletic, Recreation, and Social Park II, SWMU 014 and SWMU 118, PFAS Site Assessment Progress Report, Feb 2023
Pilot Study Work Plan, South Repeater Building, SWMU 121, Kennedy Space Center, April 2023
Former Fire Station 2 and Vehicle Assembly Building North, PFAS Site Assessment Progress Report, Kennedy Space Center, May 2023
Pilot Study Work Plan, Base Support Building, SWMU 014, Kennedy Space Center, December 2023
Confirmatory Sampling Report, South Repeater Building, SWMU 121, Kennedy Space Center, May 2024
Launch Complex 39A, SWMU 008, 2023 Long-Term Monitoring Report, August 2024
Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, SWMU 007, PFAS Assessment Report Addendum, October 2024
Interim Measures Pilot Study Completion Report, South Repeater Building, SWMU 121, Hydraulic Containment and Groundwater Treatment System for PFAS, October 2024
Interim Measures Work Plan, South Repeater Building, SWMU 121, Hydraulic Containment and Groundwater Treatment System for PFAS, October 2024
Components Refurbishment and Chemical Analysis Facility, SWMU #041 – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Site Assessment Report Kennedy Space Center, January 2025
Interim Measures PlumeStop® Injection Pilot Study Completion Report, Base Support Building, Solid Waste Management Unit 014, Kennedy Space Center, March 2025
Fire Station #3 Area, SWMU 106 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 2024 Site Assessment Progress Report, Kennedy Space Center, July 2025
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Site Assessment Report, General Services Administration Reclamation Yard, Solid Waste Management Unit 010, Kennedy Space Center, September 2025
Conceptual Site Model Update Report for Center-wide Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Potential Release Location 237 Kennedy Space Center, October 2025
Fire Station #1 Area, SWMU 116 and Sewage Treatment Plant #1 Area, SWMU 117 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 2024 Site Assessment Progress Report Kennedy Space Center, October 2025
Schwartz Road Landfill, PRL 237, LOC 18 Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Confirmatory Sampling Report Kennedy Space Center, December 2025
Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, SWMU 007 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Progress Report, Kennedy Space Center, April 2026
Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, SWMU 007, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pilot Study Implementation Work Plan, Kennedy Space Center, April 2026
Components Refurbishment and Chemical Analysis Facility, Hot Spot 1 SWMU 041 2025 Long-Term Monitoring and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Site Assessment Progress Report Kennedy Space Center, May 2026
PFAS Site Assessment Progress Report, Vehicle Assembly Building Area SWMU PFAS Group #105 – Former Fire Station #2, Kennedy Space Center, June 2026
For additional information on PFAS:
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
https://floridadep.gov/waste/waste-cleanup/content/pfas-investigation-federal-facilities
https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Dynamic_Plan_March_2022.pdf
Florida Department of Health
https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/hazardous-waste-sites/contaminant-facts/_documents/doh-pfas-faq.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency
https://www.epa.gov/pfas
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-10/pfas-roadmap_final-508.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/index.html
Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC)
https://pfas-1.itrcweb.org/
