Investigative findings and public records show that Florida’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has a long history of PFAS chemical contamination across a wide range of facilities. These “forever chemicals,” including PFOA and PFOS, are highly persistent in the environment and linked to serious health risks. Recent sampling has revealed high levels of contamination, with combined PFAS levels reaching as high as 484,900 parts per trillion (ppt).
Fire Training Facilities
Some of the highest risks of PFAS contamination stem from firefighting foams used in training. At KSC, the following fire training sites were found to contain PFAS chemicals:
- Flight Crew Rescue Training Area
- Fire Station #1
- Fire Station #2
- Former Fire Station #2
- Fire Station #3
- Hydrocarbon Burn Facility (fire training facility)
Sewage Treatment Plants and Sludge Disposal Areas
From the early 1960s through 1986, KSC disposed of domestic waste sludge through conventional sewage treatment and land application practices — which are ineffective at removing PFAS. Records show that effluent and sludge disposal contributed significantly to groundwater and soil contamination. Facilities include:
- Sewage Treatment Plant #1 and Sludge Disposal Area
- Sewage Treatment Plant #2 and Effluent Disposal Area
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #3 and Percolation Pond
- Sewage Treatment Plant #4 and Sludge Disposal Area
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #5 and Percolation Pond
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #7
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #8 and Drainfield Area
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #9 and Abandoned Treatment Pond
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #10 and Effluent Disposal Area
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #11 and Percolation Pond
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #12 and Percolation Pond
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #13 and Effluent Disposal Pond
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #14 and Abandoned Treatment Pond
- Sewage Treatment Plant #15 and Polishing Pond
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #16 and Abandoned Treatment Pond
- Former Sewage Treatment Plant #18
Other Facilities
Beyond firefighting and sewage systems, PFAS contamination has been found at numerous other KSC facilities:
- Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) Runway
- Remote Launch Vehicle (RLV) Hangar
- Schwartz Road Landfills
- Ransom Road Landfill
- Central Instrumentation Facility Former Residuals Application Area
- Operations and Checkout Former Residuals Application Area
- Kennedy Athletic, Recreation, and Social (KARS) Park II
- Random Road Sandblast Yard (M6-1625)
- Base Support Building (M6-0486)
Leachate from landfills and residual application areas is another source of PFAS contamination at the space center.
Monitoring and Cleanup
Extensive monitoring has been conducted, including groundwater, surface water, monitoring wells, and spigot sampling. The results confirm the presence of PFAS at levels far exceeding health advisory limits.
In response, Kennedy Space Center has been working with the Battelle PFAS Annihilator technology for the past four years, seeking to destroy PFAS compounds in contaminated media. Progress comes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently designated PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA (Superfund law), which makes polluters financially accountable for cleanup.
Public Accountability
The presence of PFAS at one of the nation’s most iconic facilities raises serious questions about long-term environmental impacts and public health risks. With new federal regulations, NASA and contractors at Kennedy Space Center may soon face significant cleanup responsibilities.
For more details, see the official public records available via the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:DEP Records Link
