PFAS(-free) and analyses

From PFAS to PFAS-free extinguishing foam

As you may already be aware, there is a lot going on with regard to PFAS. PFAS is an umbrella term for thousands of different fluorine components produced by humans for a variety of purposes. One of its key properties is its resistance to very high temperatures, which makes it highly suitable for extinguishing foams. Unfortunately, there are also downsides to using these substances that outweigh the benefits in most cases, such as:

• Persistence (does not break down easily if at all)
• Bioaccumulation (accumulation of chemicals in humans and the environment)
• Toxicity (toxic or harmful to an organism)

Emissions from these substances must be kept to an absolute minimum. One good example here is the substance PFOS, which has been banned since 2011 and can no longer be used in extinguishing foams. At the moment, the substance PFOA is in focus and the European Parliament has issued a regulation that prescribes a similar process as the one seen with PFOS.

Simply exchanging the foam is often not enough. Switching to fluorine-free extinguishing foam requires careful preparation and execution. InnoVfoam is the ideal partner to assist in this process. If you would like advice on this issue, please contact one of our experts.

PFAS analyses

If you have an extinguishing foam concentrate that contains PFAS and you want to know whether it still complies with the current European regulation on PFOA, you can contact us for a PFAS analysis. This analysis will indicate to what extent various PFAS components are present in your foam concentrate. Dozens of PFAS components are tested, including, for example, PFOS and PFOA.