Fire Fighting Foam Pfos

Two pfas compounds perfluorooctane acid pfoa and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid pfos may be present in firefighting aqueous film forming foam afff solutions.

Fire fighting foam pfos.

Firefighters sprayed foam on structures in the mammoth hot springs complex on 10 september 1988 during the yellowstone fires. Pfas free firefighting foams are safer and effective for military use these next few weeks are crunch time in congress for negotiations on the national defense authorization act ndaa. They are also present in fire fighting foams or aqueous film forming foam. Pfos is banned completely in new zealand and another pfas chemical pfoa is not approved for use in fire fighting foams.

Aqueous film forming foam afff is a fire suppressant used to extinguish flammable liquid fires such as fuel fires. Afff is often used in shipboard and shore facility fire suppression systems fire fighting vehicles and at fire training facilities. Commercial household products including stain and water repellent fabrics nonstick products e g teflon polishes waxes paints cleaning products and fire fighting foams a major source of groundwater contamination at airports and military bases where firefighting training occurs. They are persistent i e they do not break down in the environment and since they are used in the manufacturing of so many products they are widespread internationally.

This guide covers what you need to do to organise the disposal of fire fighting foams containing pfos. Aqueous film forming foam afff or alcohol resistant ar afff is a highly effective foam used for fighting high hazard flammable liquid fires. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances pfas are the active ingredient in these fluorinated surfactants. Eventually the department of defense used it at all aircraft hangars airfields and aircraft fueling stations among other locations.

You may have heard that we are investigating whether fire fighting foams held or in use at airports and other locations contain the pfas chemical pfos. These foams may be in storage in their original containers decanted into other containers or in fire fighting equipment including fire trucks. Its role is to cool the fire and to coat the fuel preventing its contact with oxygen resulting in suppression of the combustion. Pfos based foam was widely adopted.