A complex cleanup of ‘forever’ chemicals at DIA recently ended. Now what happens to the leftover waste?

More than 82 million people passed through Denver International Airport last year – and almost none of them noticed the very complicated cleanup project happening right under their noses. 

Airport officials spent $3 million dollars cleaning up toxic chemicals left over from the firefighting foam the airport used on its runways in the past. The foam is full of PFAS – otherwise known as “forever” chemicals – which have been linked to harmful effects in humans.  

DIA recently completed the cleanup project as part of a program created by the state of Colorado to remove forever chemicals from DIA and other sites that use firefighting foam. 

Now that they’ve cleaned up the chemicals and the contaminated firefighting equipment at the airport, there’s a new challenge – figuring out where to dispose of 100,000 gallons of harmful waste from DIA.    

Michael Booth is an environmental writer for the Colorado Sun. He wrote about this cleanup project, and why the chemicals were used in firefighting foam in the first place.   

Listen to a recent In The NoCo interview with a Colorado scientist who’s exploring a promising new way to break down forever chemicals.

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
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In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.