AUSTIN (KXAN) — It is responsible for making your pots and pans non-stick. It’s used to make stain resistant fabrics and carpets, and can make clothes water repellent. That’s why PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are used in the turnouts that firefighters wear while on the job.
Bob Nicks, the president of the Austin Fire Association, explained it simply. “It repels chemicals, it repels water, it’s very heat resistant.”
Although it is an effective chemical in fighting fires, the substance, known as a “forever chemical” — because it never breaks down in your body or the environment — may actually be doing more harm than good.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry said there is evidence that an increase in exposure to specific PFAS can lead to certain health effects. Those health effects include increases in cholesterol levels, changes in liver enzymes, kidney and testicular cancers, and lower antibody response to some vaccines.
The International Association of Fire Fighters is demanding that all turnout gear be replaced with PFAS-free alternatives. Some states, like Massachusetts and Connecticut, and cities around the country have taken it upon themselves to ban the use of PFAS in their firefighters’ gear.
Austin could be added to the growing list on Thursday as the city council will vote on phasing out the use of PFAS in firefighting gear and foams. The current resolution up for a vote requires the city manager to replace all “PFAS-containing equipment” out of service in three years.
“We do everything we can to limit our exposure because we’re in a very hazardous job. PFAS is just another one of those chemicals. It’s one that we know we can do something about by removing it from our turnouts,” Nicks explained.
Are there alternatives available?
Turnout gear is a three-piece ensemble. Moving from outside to in, the layers consist of an outer shell, a moisture barrier, and a thermal liner. All three layers must meet the standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.
Outer shells are treated with a durable water repellent. Manufacturers would use PFAS-based repellent to treat the outer shell.
Neil McMillan, the Director of Science and Research with IAFF, said in late 2022, manufacturers started transitioning away from treating the outer shell with PFAS. Instead, they now treat the outer shell with a wax or silicone-based repellent.
But the second layer, the moisture barrier, does not have many alternatives that are PFAS-free. In fact, there is only one PFAS-free moisture barrier on the market, McMillan said. It is the only moisture barrier that meets the NFPA standards.
Making the switch to completely PFAS-free turnout gear does have its challenges, McMillan explained. For one thing, it is costly. One full set of turnout gear can be as expensive as $6,000.
The NFPA requires turnout gear be replaced every 5-10 years. If a department is in the first year of new turnout gear, it would be costly to replace all of them with PFAS-free equipment.
The second challenge McMillan pointed out is that PFAS-free gear may not work for every fire department across the country. Each department has its own standards or requirements it needs to meet depending on the types of fires it fights.
“If you’re willing to incorporate this new polyurethane-based moisture barrier into your spec, it may require changes to other components to meet other testing requirements,” McMillan said. “So only having that one PFAS-free alternative to be incorporated into your moisture barrier — unless you have those Goldilocks-conditions necessary in your department, it may be challenging to have PFAS-free gear.”
Firefighting foam
Aqueous film-forming foam, AFFF, is used by Austin fire department and departments around the country. AFFF also has PFAS in it, which create a film that cuts off the flammable source from oxygen. It is effective in fighting fires with flammable liquids.
Austin’s Aircraft Firefighting and Rescue team uses AFFF at its station. There are alternatives in the market for PFAS-free foam that McMillan said is very effective. One of the issues can be getting rid of the old foam.
Washington State outlawed the use of PFAS in firefighting foams and is currently trying to figure out a safe way to dispose of it. The Department of Ecology says AFFF is a “key suspected source” of PFAS-contaminated drinking water.
PFAS testing
Most of the research into health-related effects of PFAS has been focused on two types; perfluorooctanoate, PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonate, PFOS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are thousands of PFAS chemicals in the world, and their health effects are unknown.
The U.S. Fire Administration said there are studies that show the level of PFAS in the blood of firefighters are higher compared to the general population. The Austin Fire Department received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Administration to replace workout equipment filled with PFAS. The $210,000 grant also provided PFAS testing kits for some members.
AFD said it will begin PFAS testing on more than 150 firefighters this month. The department also said in a statement that it “continues to work on removing and minimizing exposure to PFAS for all our members.”
Nicks hopes that one day there will be testing for all firefighters in the department.