FOI 1728- Firefighting Foam

I am requesting freedom of information from your fire service to request whether. 

•           Your fire service has ever used Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) for firefighting purposes?  

•           What firefighting foam/s system/s did your fire service use?   

•           If available what type of PFAS were these foams?   

•           What dilution was used in firefighting foams by your fire service? 

•           From what years would your fire service use these firefighting foams? 

•           Does your fire service have a current policy regarding PFAS firefighting foams? 

•           Does your fire service have a policy regarding the disposal of PFAS firefighting foams held by your fire service?  

•           Do you have stock information on the PFAS containing products? Can you please share this information as far back as possible?    

  For ease of collating this response, it will follow the structure and order with which you applied your Freedom of Information request. In order to respond accurately the Service has sought scientific advice in determining whether the type of foams utilised within the Service contain Perfluoroalkyl or Polyfluroroalkyl.

 Your fire service has ever used Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) for firefighting purposes? What firefighting foam/s system/s did your fire service use? If available what type of PFAS were these foams?   

 Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service do not hold information on the types of foam types used by this Service prior to the following. Two Foam Tankers were built in 1997 and contained 11,000L of Angus FP70. These were mothballed in 2014 and replaced with a IBC loaded vehicle containing synthetic foam, Auquimia Polyfoam 1/3S.

 The Foam tankers were often deployed to incidents within the Service due to the chemical industry presence within the county however they were seldom used due to the incident type and environmental impact. For example between 2007 and 2011 they were only put to use on three occasions. It is not known how many litres were used on each occasion. The concentration rate was variable on the Foam Tankers but was generally set at 6%.

The Scientific information we received, based on the MSDS,  the FP-70 and Alcoseal C6-3-6 don’t have the Perfluor or Polyfluor agents. However, the Auxquima Polyfoam 1/3S does appear to have Polyfluor at less than 5% (Identified on the SDS as Mixture of fluorosurfactants and Mixture of fluorinated polymers).

 Does your fire service have a current policy regarding PFAS firefighting foams?  Does your fire service have a policy regarding the disposal of PFAS firefighting foams held by your fire service? Do you have stock information on the PFAS containing products?

 The Polyfoam 1/3S is currently held on the Foam Unit of which there are eight IBC’s each containing 1000Litres. The Service are aware of the changes required and a project team are currently working on its replacement with a Fluorine free firefighting foam product.