PFAS Foam Replacement Challenges Nation’s Fire Departments (1)

January 24, 2023 Pat Rizzuto, Zach Bright Bloomberg Law CPA in the News

"The Pentagon’s recent release of its requirements for firefighting suppressants that could substitute for PFAS-based aqueous film-forming foam increases the pressure on fire departments to stop using AFFF, said Bradley M. Pinsky, an attorney with the Pinsky Law Group, PLLC, which counsels fire departments and districts.

AFFF, used primarily by the military but also by civilian firefighters, has polluted drinking water across the country and raised concerns about potential harm to health, including an elevated risk of cancer. Twenty-four states have banned training with AFFF or otherwise restrict its use.

Fire departments need information on the performance and safety of alternatives, guidance to get rid of old foam safely, and money to pay for disposal and buy substitutes, attorneys, state officials, and fire professionals said in recent interviews. Departments also face potential liability over cleanups in places where they used the old foam, they said...

Designed by Clean Production Action, a nonprofit group focused on green chemistry and sustainability, GreenScreen has certified dozens of fire suppressants as being free of PFAS and other chemicals that may harm people’s health or the environment. GreenScreen’s list of certified products details specific Underwriters Laboratories Inc., National Fire Protection Association, and other standards, that insurance companies, fire departments, and other parities can require.

Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Minnesota are among other states that refer fire departments to GreenScreen for AFFF substitutes."

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