FDSA raises awareness of PFAS in C6 products

by Safety

The latest Fire Dept Service Announcement (FDSA) bulletin has raised the awarness of PFAS in C6 products. It said that transition should be to fire tested F3 products, nothing that several fire departments have recently sent out their F3 foams for specific sample testing for 1,4-dioxane and other chemicals. These departments have  taken the initiative to protect the public’s safety.

It noted that a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for a foam product may state it does not contain PFOA or PFOS: “Those are just two of more than 12,000+ chemicals in the persistent, bio accumulative class. Although PFOA and PFOS are no longer produced in the US, they continue to appear in PFAS testing.

“Does the F3 foam contain other carcinogenic chemicals? There are clean F3 products available now that do not contain carcinogens.

“Your firefighting foam should have a fire test rating, i.e., UL 162, NFPA 18.”

The bulletin added that the US Department of Defense quietly released the new MilSpec for firefighting foam in early January 2023: “The updated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) FAA CertAlert 139 followed on January 12, 2023. Sea-Tac Airport recently purchased National Foam’s Avio Green which they had tested in 2019. This product contains, formaldehyde, a known carcinogen and methanol, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.”

JOIFF announces date for Digital Foam Summit

by EventsFeatured News

The JOIFF Digital Foam Summit, a one-day DIGITAL event covering all aspects of the Firefighting Foam Transition from AFFF to SFFF, is set to take place on 14 June 2023, commencing at 9am GMT.

 The JOIFF Digital Foam Summit will lead with global presentations from Subject Matter Experts, End Users and Suppliers.

Presentations covering all aspects of Foam Transition Case Studies, Testing, Performance, Decon, Proportioning, FireFighter Health, Legislation, DOD/MilSpec, NFPA 11 updates, Commercial Presentations.

There will be Digital Exhibition booths so that all visitors can download all relevant Supplier Information and meet company representatives in digital video meetings.

Registration to attend the foam summit is now open, more information on how to register can be found here.

Guidance published on Class B Firefighting Foam containing Persistent Organic Pollutants

by Featured NewsFire Suppression

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has published guidance on Class B Firefighting Foam Containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

As stressed when the Environment Agency published their compliance information regarding Class B firefighting foams, BAFE recognise the importance of complying with appropriate environmental regulations and requirements.

BAFE published the information on behalf of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for the interest of relevant BAFE registered organisations and the wider fire safety industry who work with Class B foams.

The guidance is aimed at anyone in Scotland who uses, stores, or disposes of Class B Firefighting Foams, and/or any other Firefighting Foams, containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). 

The full guidance can eb found here.

CTIF calls for 10-year extension for fluorine-free foam transition

by Featured NewsFire Suppression

The International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF) has called on the EU to give a 10-year extension for the transition period to fluorine-free firefighting foams.

In order to give European firefighters a chance to safely and economically transition away from traditional foams, the CTIF HazMat Commission has asked for a 10 year transition time, instead of the proposed 18 month transition,  for fire services to completely end the use of fluorine foams in firefighting. 

CTIF pointed out that For European fire brigades to completely end the use of fluorinated firefighting foams in 18 months could become very expensive for many communities, particularly as fire stations already have large stocks of foam and the cost for replacing equipment could become even more costly since tests have shown fluorine free foams react differently to fluorinated foams. 

Due to the different properties of fluorine free foams, the Hazardous Materials Commission said in their letter to the EU that there is also a need for fire brigades to assess new equipment, to train and conduct practical exercises with the new proposed foams.  

In the conclusion to its letter, CTIF Hazmat Commission proposed to introduce a smooth and natural transition from PFAS-containing foams to fluorine-free foams, with both types of foams to coexist for the next 8-10 years.

The Commission also recommended to ECHA more detailed description of sectors or type of use to avoid misunderstanding.

Read the letter in full here.