A fire extinguishing agent designed to extinguish fires caused by flammable liquids and gases, highly toxic aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) contains between 50% and 98% PFAS, a group of more than 9,000 chemicals. toxic. Exposure to these chemicals is strongly linked to many debilitating diseases, primarily cancer. Military firefighters, civilian contractors, and civilian/volunteer firefighters are at risk for life-threatening illnesses because they often use AFFF to extinguish jet fuel and oil fires.
The AFFF formula was invented by the US Navy and 3M Company in 1967, and firefighters have widely used this type of fire extinguisher. Even in small quantities, PFAS are harmful,. so if you have used AFFF and are now sick, we encourage you to contact our team of experts to evaluate your case as you may may be eligible to receive financial compensation from responsible manufacturers.
Clearly, 3M was aware of the terrible health effects of exposure to AFFF. In 2000, the company stopped manufacturing fire extinguishers, but before that they were making nearly half a billion dollars a year from AFFF sales. Perhaps the clearest evidence that 3M was aware of the toxicity of PFAS was that when it sold AFFF to DuPont, the product label stated that exposure could lead to cancer .
With each use of AFFF, large amounts of PFAS are released into the environment, and firefighters are inevitably exposed to the chemicals even when wearing protective gear. Worse still, PFAS are found in fire protection equipment and as they wear out, these toxic substances can leak out, posing another serious threat to the health of firefighters fire. According to the EPA, PFAS are emerging and persistent contaminants, meaning the health hazards and environmental risks associated with AFFF use are significant.
PFAS are also known as “forever chemicals,” and for good reason: Some of these substances take more than a thousand years to break down in the environment, leaving people living on military bases or nearby exposed to toxic substances. Below are the health problems and illnesses that military and civilian firefighters are at high risk of developing due to regular use of AFFF:
Among the more than 9,000 chemicals known as PFAS, two are particularly closely linked to these diseases: PFOS and PFOA. Although they are very effective in putting out fires, they are highly toxic to both the environment and human health. Firefighters most likely to become ill after exposure to AFFF are those who work in :
Therefore, those at greatest risk of illness from exposure to AFFF are military and civilian firefighters who use them, military personnel who have been exposed to them, fire extinguisher manufacturers, and communities living in close proximity to them. military bases where AFFF was present. used. If you have any of the above diagnoses as a current or former firefighter, please contact Weduo as we have the experience.