AFFF foams were introduced in the 1960s and explicitly designed for petroleum-based fires where traditional water suppression alone would be ineffective and inadvisable. However, they have been in use for decades by both military and civilian firefighters in response to Class B fires.
Firefighting Foam Spray
The firefighting foam contains chemicals known as poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), which include perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
These fire foam chemicals have been found to bind to proteins in the blood and leach into drinking water supplies and the soil. In addition, they are not biodegradable and take thousands of years to degrade, earning the nickname "forever chemicals."
Before using PFAS in AFFF, the chemicals were not widely found or detected in the human body. However, fire foam chemicals are toxic and carcinogenic chemicals linked to several health effects, including liver damage, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, high cholesterol, obesity, hormone suppression, and cancer.
Manufacturers of AFFF foam knew or should have known for decades that PFAS chemicals may persist over long periods and accumulate in the body of firefighters and others who come into contact with the chemicals. Yet, warnings do not adequately disclose firefighting foam's unreasonable risk to human health.