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.

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. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances pfas are the active ingredient in these fluorinated surfactants. Afff is usually created by combining foaming agents with fluorinated surfactants. 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.

Aqueous film forming foam afff is a fire suppressant used to extinguish flammable liquid fires such as fuel fires. Its role is to cool the fire and to coat the fuel preventing its contact with oxygen resulting in suppression of the combustion. Afff is often used in shipboard and shore facility fire suppression systems fire fighting vehicles and at fire training facilities. Aqueous film forming foam afff or alcohol resistant ar afff is a highly effective foam used for fighting high hazard flammable liquid fires.

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. These foams may be in storage in their original containers decanted into other containers or in fire fighting equipment including fire trucks. 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.

Pfos based foam was widely adopted. Firefighters sprayed foam on structures in the mammoth hot springs complex on 10 september 1988 during the yellowstone fires. This guide covers what you need to do to organise the disposal of fire fighting foams containing pfos. Afff used by both civilian and military firefighters.