F3 foams and water safety concerns: Fire service urged to lead foam selection
Iain Hoey
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F3 foam use may still conflict with US EPA PFAS standards
The Foam Exposure Committee has reported that firefighting foams listed as F3 by GreenScreen may still contain up to 1 ppm (1,000,000 ppt) of total organic fluorine.
According to the Committee, this level exceeds the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) maximum limits for specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are set at 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.
The Committee stated that despite being marketed as fluorine-free, the foams can contain detectable levels of total organic fluorine, raising questions about their compatibility with current water safety policies.
Committee asserts that foam decisions should rest with fire services
The Foam Exposure Committee stated that the USEPA does not approve or certify firefighting foams.
It added that the responsibility for foam selection lies with fire services, which it described as best placed to evaluate performance, safety, and operational needs.
The Committee said: “The best decision maker for choosing a firefighting foam is the fire service.”
Third-party tests confirm class A and B fire performance
The Foam Exposure Committee’s F3 foam concentrate list includes products tested under third-party standards, such as NFPA 18 and European Norm (EN) protocols.
According to the Committee, foams like Novacool, Fire Cap Plus and Phos Chek WD881 were tested under NFPA 18 for Class A and B fire use, while Ecopol 3 and Ecopol A met EN fire performance standards.
It also listed Pyrocap B-136 and Enviro Class A as having been qualified under the USDA QPL for Class A fires.
Total fluorine tested using PIGE method
The Foam Exposure Committee stated that testing for total fluorine in the F3 foams was conducted using particle-induced gamma ray emission spectroscopy (PIGE).
PIGE allows for the detection of fluorine compounds even at low concentrations, supporting the Committee’s findings of up to 1 ppm of total organic fluorine in these products.
This testing method does not differentiate between individual PFAS compounds but measures overall fluorine content, which can include a wide range of fluorinated substances.
F3 foams and water safety concerns: Summary
The Foam Exposure Committee reported that GreenScreen-listed F3 foams may contain up to 1 ppm of total organic fluorine.
The USEPA has set a 4 ppt limit for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.
The Committee noted that this discrepancy could present safety challenges.
It clarified that the USEPA does not approve firefighting foams.
The Committee stated that fire services should decide which foams to use.
Third-party testing confirmed Class A and B fire suitability for multiple foams.
Tests referenced include NFPA 18, EN protocols and the USDA QPL.
Total Fluorine testing was conducted using PIGE spectroscopy.
This method identifies total fluorine levels but not individual PFAS chemicals.
CORRECTION: This article was updated to clarify that the Foam Exposure Committee tested for total fluorine using particle-induced gamma ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy. This differs from the total organic fluorine standard used by GreenScreen as originally stated.