Massachusetts Fire chiefs say that immediately stopping the use of fire suppressants that contain PFAS will be difficult and costly, if not impossible.
Hyannis Fire Chief Peter Burke testified in front of a group of state lawmakers Tuesday saying that departments have stores of firefighting foams that contain PFAS; and it’s currently the only tool they have to combat some fires, like a gasoline truck rollover over a decade ago in Everett.
"145 people had to flee for their lives," Burke said. "Firefighting foams is the only tool we have available to prevent further loss of property and risk to lives in that scenario.”
He said that getting rid of the foams, and finding an alternative will be expensive and will take time. He said that departments have upgraded the foams they have used over the last few decades, but they still contain the contaminants.
Polyfluoroalkyl substances are a group of long-lasting chemicals used in consumer products like non-stick pans and in some firefighting foams.
State lawmakers in the PFAS Interagency Task Force, led by representative Kate Hogan and Truro State Sen. Julian Cyr to study PFAS contamination and mitigation strategies. Its recommendations to the Legislature are due at the end of the year.
The state Task Force heard from several others yesterday, aside from Chief Burke, as they look to consider who should be responsible for PFAS remediation.
Burke also spoke to the grave concerns firefighters have about their own PFAS exposure.
“Firefighters have spent decades around PFAS foams … in many cases they were covered for hours," Burke told lawmakers. "In light of that, the long-term impact on our firefighters must be considered.”
Others testifying before the lawmaker panel called for more comprehensive standards for PFAS across the state and country, and to hold manufacturers accountable.