Exposing the Dangers of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)

Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) is a foam used to extinguish flammable liquid fires from Class B materials such as oil, gasoline, and jet fuel. AFFF contains chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are mixed with water to create a foamy mixture that quickly cools and puts out fires. Many fire stations utilize this Class B foam since AFFF can be used to put out petroleum fires that water alone cannot.

Unfortunately, considerable research has surfaced regarding the toxicity of PFAS. Two of the most commonly used PFAS that are found in AFFF are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). These man-made chemicals have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s and are known for their durability. One area of concern for PFAS is that their components break down very slowly and can accumulate in humans, animals, and the environment over time. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), long-term exposure to these chemicals can result in adverse health effects including cancer.

In 2021, the EPA issued a ruling in its Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) prohibiting companies from manufacturing or using certain PFAS without EPA review and approval. Despite these regulations, older AFFF stock may still contain PFAS. Many firefighting and military training facilities utilize AFFF. In fact, The U.S. Department of Defense began using the foam as far back as the 1970s at their military facilities, and it is a major source of groundwater contamination. 

Failure to Warn the Public

In a 2023 paper published in Annals of Global Health, researchers gathered and examined documents from DuPont and 3M – the two largest manufacturers of PFAS – that revealed that both companies knew about the dangers of PFAS decades before the public health community. These previously secret documents also showed how the chemical industry used several strategies such as suppressing unfavorable research to influence regulation.

In a 1970 memo, a DuPont-funded laboratory found a type of PFAS called C8 to be “highly toxic when inhaled and moderately toxic when ingested.” In 1980, both DuPont and 3M learned that two of eight pregnant employees who worked with C8 gave birth to children with birth defects but did not inform their other employees. Despite these findings, the chemical companies continued manufacturing and distributing PFAS-containing products.

Qualifying Illnesses for AFFF Lawsuits

In recent years, thousands of PFAS-related lawsuits have been filed against DuPont and 3M. Current and former civilian and military firefighters are at particularly high risk for developing cancer and other illnesses because of direct, long-term exposure to firefighting foam.

Hendler Flores Law is accepting firefighting foam cases with the following criteria:

• Must have been a civilian or military firefighter or used firefighting foam on the job or in training
• If NOT a firefighter, must have a minimum of ten exposure events to firefighting foam
• Must have been exposed to firefighting foam after 1960
• Must have been diagnosed with one of the following:
  • Kidney cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Testicular cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Bladder cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Ulcerative colitis

Contact Us for a Free Legal Consultation

If you have worked with or been exposed to AFFF or PFAS chemicals and developed cancer, we’d like to hear your story. No amount of compensation can make up for the life-changing impact of your cancer on you and your family, but holding the companies accountable can help bring you peace of mind.

There is no cost or obligation if you call us for a case consultation. Call us now at 1.800.443.6353 or email us at info@hendlerlaw.com. Your story matters. Let us help you tell it.

To download a fact sheet about Aqueous Film Forming Foam, click here.