Synthetic foams
- Aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) are water-based and frequently contain hydrocarbon-based surfactant such as sodium alkyl sulfate, and fluorosurfactant, such as fluorotelomers, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).
- Alcohol-resistant aqueous film-forming foams (AR-AFFF) are foams resistant to the action of alcohols and can form a protective film.
- Fluorine-free foams (FFF, also called F3) are mostly based on hydrocarbon surfactants and is free of any fluorosurfactant.
What is fire fighting foam made of?
The Dangers of Fire Fighting Foam Explained! What is fire fighting foam? Perfluorooctane sulfonate or perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOS and PFOA, are man-made chemicals used to make items heat or water-resistant and found in a range of everyday items such as take-out food wrappers, no-stick cookware, and clothing.
What chemicals are used in fire extinguishers?
History of fire-fighting foams. It was called chemical foam because of the chemical action to create it. In general, the powders used were sodium bicarbonate and aluminium sulfate, with small amounts of saponin or liquorice added to stabilise the bubbles. Hand-held foam extinguishers used the same two chemicals in solution.
What chemicals are in AFFF foam?
Two PFAS compounds, perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), may be present in firefighting aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) solutions. Certain PFAS can accumulate and stay in the human body for long periods of time.
Is firefighting foam safe to use?
Firefighting foam is an exceptionally effective fire suppression tool, helping to minimize the impact of some of the worst possible fires, including flammable liquid fires. Unfortunately, the most effective of these firefighting foams, aqueous film forming foam or AFFF contains PFAS, which the EPA has stated to be dangerous.
What ingredients are in fire fighting foam?
FOAM: A fire fighting foam is simply a stable mass of small air-filled bubbles, which have a lower density than oil, gasoline or water. Foam is made up of three ingredients - water, foam concentrate and air. When mixed in the correct proportions, these three ingredients form a homogeneous foam blanket.
How toxic is fire extinguisher foam?
Long-term exposure to PFAS/PFOA/PFOS, in high concentrations, causes a buildup in the body. This buildup may have negative health effects like a risk of thyroid disease and testicular, kidney and bladder cancers.
Does fire Fighting foam still contain PFAS?
Class A firefighting foams are used for wild fires and structural fires and do not contain PFAS chemicals. However, there are cases when AFFF is used because there may be a liquid fuel in the structure or wild fire region-such as gas stations, or oil cans.
Which firefighting foams contain PFAS?
There are two major types of firefighting foam, Class A and Class B. Class A foams are used to extinguish fires caused by wood, paper, and brush. Class A foams generally do not contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also known as “PFAS”).
Is firefighting foam hazardous?
Firefighting Foam Contains Toxic Forever Chemicals Firefighting foam contains numerous toxic chemicals known as “forever chemicals.” These chemicals do not break down quickly and stay around for a long time. They are linked to a variety of chronic and disabling illnesses and conditions, especially cancers.
Is firefighting foam carcinogenic?
Chemical-based firefighting foam called AFFF has been sold for decades, but the deadly side effects of the chemical are now widely known. PFAS-based firefighting foam exposure may cause firefighters to develop: Renal or kidney cancer. Testicular cancer.
How do you dispose of AFFF foam?
You shouldn't attempt to dispose of AFFF on your own. Instead, you should transport your contained AFFF to an accredited disposal company. The most common method of AFFF disposal is high-temperature incineration. This heats the substance up to at least 1000°C, with a minimum residence time of two seconds.
Is AFFF banned?
Public Act 21-191, effective July 13, 2021, bans the use of firefighting foam containing intentionally-added PFAS) which is typically used for extinguishing Class B flammable liquid and petroleum hydrocarbon fires. Common labels for these foams are AFFF, AR-AFFF, FFFP, AR-FFFP, FP, and FPAR (“Fluorinated Foam”).
What is the difference between Class A foam and Class B foam?
There are many different types of foam for firefighting: Class A foam is used for combustibles, structural fires and wildfires; Class B foam is used for ignitable liquids, like gasoline and diesel; and polar solvent foams help extinguish alcohol-based liquids and alcohol-type fuels.
Is Class A foam toxic?
Chemguard First Class is a non-corrosive, non-toxic, biodegradable Class A foam concentrate. When mixed with water in the correct proportion, it changes the properties of water.
Is the stuff in fire extinguishers toxic?
The dry powder in ABC fire extinguishers is non-toxic but can cause skin irritation. You can check the manufacturer's website or the information on the extinguisher itself. The chemicals used vary by model and manufacturer but if they sprayed toxic chemicals they'd never be licensed for home use.
Can you eat food sprayed with fire extinguisher?
Despite being non-toxic, you shouldn't try to eat the powder that comes from a fire extinguisher. If you do eat some of the powder, it could cause your throat to become sore and red and may even cause some stomach upset, but this would require quite a bit of powder.
What happens if fire extinguisher gets on skin?
Adverse health effects and symptoms: Mild irritant to the respiratory system, eyes, and skin. Symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath, and irritation of the lungs, eyes, and skin.
Is the fire extinguisher powder harmful?
In short, NO, dry chemical extinguisher powder is considered non-toxic. However, precautions should be taken when dealing with all types of dry chemical. It is best to wear gloves and a dust mask to prevent irritation from skin contact or inhalation.
What is a PFAS?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of man-made chemical compounds found in a wide range of consumer products such as nonstick products, polishes, waxes, paints and cleaning products. Two PFAS compounds, perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), may be present in firefighting aqueous film forming ...
Is PFOA dangerous?
Dangers. Certain PFAS can accumulate and stay in the human body for long periods of time. Long-term exposure to PFAS/PFOA/PFOS, in high concentrations, causes a buildup in the body. This buildup may have negative health effects like a risk of thyroid disease and testicular, kidney and bladder cancers.
What are the health effects of fire fighting foam exposure?
James Dahlgren, a nationally known toxicologist, identified increased risks of prostate cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myelomas associated with toxic firefighting foams. In 2012, scientists at Emory University identified similar conditions between individuals who were exposed at the DuPont factories that manufactured C8. Workers showed a three-fold increased risk of mesothelioma or chronic kidney disease and a two-fold increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus Type 2, kidney cancer, and non-cancer kidney diseases. The Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) has also linked the chemicals to low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal variations, liver effects (tissue damage), immune effects (antibody production and immunity), thyroid effects, and cholesterol changes.
What can veterans do if they were exposed to fire fighting foam?
If you are a military veteran who has experienced one of the conditions below and feel you were exposed to contaminated groundwater at one of the military bases listed on the Pentagon’s report, you may be eligible for compensation from the VA. If a veteran has a health concern, getting an independent medical opinion is vital in identifying the health conditions and having an expert find scientific links for those conditions to the toxins that veterans were exposed to. Call Hill and Ponton for more information or for a free consultation of your claim.
What is PFOS in the military?
Perfluorooctane sulfonate or perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOS and PFOA, are man-made chemicals used to make items heat or water-resistant and found in a range of everyday items such as take-out food wrappers, no-stick cookware, and clothing. The military also uses the chemicals in foam concentrate to put out petroleum-based fires.
Why are PFOS and PFOA linked?
In addition to kidney conditions, the Pentagon has found that PFOS and PFOA are linked to developmental delays in fetuses and infants.
Why is 3M phasing out PFOS?
In 2000, the only United States manufacturer, 3M, started phasing out the use of PFOS and PFOAS due to the tendency of the chemicals to build up in human tissue.
What is foam concentrate used for?
The military also uses the chemicals in foam concentrate to put out petroleum-based fires. This is what we call fire-fighting foams. In the 1970s, the Department of Defense started using aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which contained high concentrations of PFOS to extinguish specific types of fires such as aircraft/jet fuel fires, ...
Is PFOA disposed of in water?
The EPA studies are specific that exposure is through drinking water and not food ingestion or skin exposure. 3M originally informed DuPont when they began purchasing the chemicals that PFOS and PFOA were never to be disposed into the water, only incinerated.
What is AFFF foam?
AFFF contains water and other chemical components, including ethylene and propylene glycol which extend the life of the foam. The firefighting foam comes in a concentrate mixed with water. It’s available in three percent and six percent formulas, depending on how much water is in the mix. Firefighters use AFFF to extinguish fires ...
Who makes AFFF?
Large companies such as 3M manufacture AFFF, and firefighters and military personnel have used these products for decades.
What are the two types of PFAS?
Two of the most common types of PFAS found in AFFF are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and/or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). These chemicals are human-made compounds that don’t occur naturally in the environment.
How does AFFF work?
It also covers the fuel in a film that prevents oxygen from reaching the fuel. This stops the fire from reigniting. AFFF works by cooling and smothering a fire.
When did PFOS stop being produced?
Because of health and environmental concerns, some manufacturers agreed to phase out the production of PFOS in the United States starting in 2002. Other companies agreed to phase out production of PFOA and PFOA-related chemicals by 2015, according to the EPA.
Is AFFF toxic?
AFFF is toxic, especially if it contains PFOS and PFOA. These PFAS are present in small amounts in the blood of most people in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the EPA. For most people, they don’t pose a threat in small amounts.
Who is the first to sue 3M?
People who were exposed to AFFF and developed cancer or other serious health problems are filing lawsuits against manufacturers, including 3M. Civilian and military firefighters are some of the first people to sue after developing cancer and other conditions. Many of these firefighters have been using AFFF for years.
Summary
History of fire-fighting foams
Water has long been a universal agent for suppressing fires, but is not best in all cases. For example, water is typically ineffective on oil fires, and can be dangerous. Fire-fighting foams were a development for extinguishing oil fires.
In 1902, a method of extinguishing flammable liquid fires by blanketing them with foam was introduced by Russian engineer and chemist Aleksandr Loran. Loran was a teacher in a school in
Overview
• Low-expansion foams, such as aqueous film forming foams, have an expansion ratio of less than 20, are low-viscosity, mobile, and can quickly cover large areas.
• Medium-expansion foams have an expansion ratio of 20–100.
• High-expansion foams have an expansion ratio over 200–1000 and are suitable for enclosed spaces such as hangars, where quick filling is needed.
Class A foams
Class A foams were developed in mid-1980s for fighting wildfires. Class A foams lower the surface tension of the water, which assists in the wetting and saturation of Class A fuels with water. It penetrates and extinguishes embers at depth. This aids fire suppression and can prevent reignition. Favourable experiences led to its acceptance for fighting other types of class A fires, includ…
Class B foams
Class B foams are designed for class B fires—flammable liquids. The use of class A foam on a class B fire may yield unexpected results, as class A foams are not designed to contain the explosive vapors produced by flammable liquids. Class B foams have two major subtypes.
Synthetic foams are based on synthetic surfactants. They provide better flow and spreading over the surface of hydrocarbon-based liquids, for faster knockdown of flames. They have limited pos…
Applications
Every type of foam has its application. High-expansion foams are used when an enclosed space, such as a basement or hangar, must be quickly filled. Low-expansion foams are used on burning spills. AFFF is the best for spills of jet fuels, FFFP is better for cases where the burning fuel can form deeper pools, and AR-AFFF is suitable for burning alcohols. High performing FFF are viable alternative to AFFF and AFFF-AR for various applications. The most flexibility is achieved by A…
Environmental and health concerns
Studies have shown that PFOS is a persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutant. It was added to Annex B of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in May 2009. Regulations in the United States, Canada, European Union, Australia, and Japan have banned the new production of PFOS-based products, including fire fighting foams. 3M phased out production of PFOS in 2002 due to toxicity concerns.
See also
• Compressed air foam system
• Foam path
• Timeline of events related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances