Managing the foam phase-out: Alpine Fire outlines fluorine-free transition plans
Iain Hoey
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Mark Thewlis, Operations Director at Alpine Fire, outlines how facilities can adapt to new regulations banning C8 foam and manage compliance safely
What do facilities need to do to ensure their fire suppression systems are compliant and effective in the wake of changing regulations? Fluorine-containing foam has been a vital part of the fire suppression industry for years.
But there’s a problem.
The foams are made using so-called ‘forever chemicals’; long-chain polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) that pose a significant risk to the environment due to their inability to break down in nature.
As concerns have grown, public pressure has mounted, and as of 4th July 2025, new regulations have come into effect banning the use of C8 Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF).
Facilities must now act to not only comply with new regulations but also ensure any existing foam stocks are safely removed and disposed of.
Will you be affected?
If you work in facilities such as chemical manufacturing plants, automotive facilities, oil refineries, military installations and many other kinds of industrial buildings; then there’s a good chance that your fire suppression system may use some kind of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) enhancement.
These foams, when mixed with water, smother fires and prevent vapour ignition by cutting off the supply of oxygen.
That means they’re commonly used in facilities where flammable liquids or hazardous chemicals are located on-site.
But each facility is different, so the extent to which you will be impacted largely depends on the system that you currently have in place and the steps you have already taken to go fluorine-free.
How to safely remove PFAS from your fire suppression systems
Because the use of C8 fluorine-containing foam is now prohibited, facilities must prioritise compliance with new regulations.
Those that don’t could face notices and fines, not to mention the potential reputational damage that comes with Environment Agency warnings and penalties.
That means you need to plan for the appropriate isolation, removal and disposal of any existing C8 foam stocks from your fire suppression systems without delay.
But this may not be as simple as you may think.
Here are a few key steps that facilities should take to ensure they’re on the right side of new regulations:
1 – Assess your risk
Don’t assume your system is clean just because you’ve removed C8.
Instead you need to conduct a detailed analysis to ensure that all traces of prohibited substances have been removed.
Expert engineers can help you to assess your system on site, conduct sampling tests to measure the extent of foam migration and detect the presence of banned C8 compounds.
2 – Flush your system
After working with all stakeholders to plan for any disruption you should then conduct a thorough clean of your systems.
This should involve completely draining water and residual foam concentrate from your system as well as systematically cleaning all pipework and components with a separate flush.
It’s vital that this activity is conducted carefully, complying with UK environmental regulations to avoid harm to the environment.
Once completed you should also retest your systems.
3 – Ethical disposal
There are strict rules governing the disposal of C8 foams.
That means that you need to work with certified partners to ensure the safe removal, disposal and ethical incineration of any C8 foams from your system.
However in the current climate, the availability of disposal incinerators has become restricted due to the surge of facilities rushing to comply with regulations.
This means that you may face delays or significant cost fluctuations as you attempt to dispose of any existing foam stocks.
4 – Explore fluorine-free alternatives
With further restrictions to fluorine-containing foams expected, another shrewd move would be to begin exploring what fluorine-free alternatives are available.
Known as synthetic fluorine-free foams (SFFF), facilities will need to analyse how compatible their usage would be with their current fire suppression systems and plan for any adaptations that need to be made to accommodate them.
Many companies are also looking into future-proof water-only-based systems.
The time to act is now
Transitioning to a fluorine-free future is a complex task for many facilities.
Despite the ban on C8 foam coming into force, many UK businesses are still struggling to comply with changing regulations.
But this isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity.
Whether it’s the immediate ban on C8 foams or the inevitable restriction of C6, a fluorine-free future is coming.
Waiting to see how this will impact your fire suppression is not a viable strategy, instead now is the time to proactively assess your systems and explore alternative solutions.
For more information on how you can prepare for a fluorine-free future, visit www.alpinefire.co.uk
