Military: Contractor error caused Hawaii toxic foam spill

HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. military says an investigation found that a spill of about 1,300 gallons of fire suppressant at a fuel facility in Hawaii was caused by a maintenance contractor improperly installing an air vacuum valve. The firefighting foam liquid concentrate was spilled in November at the Red Hill Bulk Storage Facility near Pearl Harbor. The foam is used to suppress fires caused by flammable liquids. It contains PFAS, a class of chemicals that are slow to degrade in the environment. Hawaii News Now reported that Navy Vice Adm. John Wade apologized at a news conference announcing the findings of the investigation.