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Restricts the manufacture, sale, and use of class B firefighting foams with intentionally added PFAS, like AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) for training in Washington.
Requires manufacturers of firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) to notify buyers in Washington if their products contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
We are developing an AFFF collection and disposal program to help local fire departments and first responder organizations collect and safely dispose of unused AFFF they have on-site.
In Washington, class B firefighting foam cannot be:
Manufactured or sold (exemptions include military, petroleum refineries and terminals, certain chemical plants, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified airports but not part 139-certificated airports (see next section for details)).
Used for fire training.
PFAS foams may still be used for emergencies and testing required by federal laws and rules. This law does NOT apply to military (DOD) installations.
Completely transition to non-PFAS firefighting agents by Sept. 30, 2025.
Requirements for PFAS-containing firefighting PPE
PFAS-containing firefighting PPE can still be manufactured and sold, but manufacturers and sellers must provide a written notice to buyers in Washington that their products contain PFAS.
Firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) is any clothing that is designed, intended, or marketed to be worn by firefighters for use in fire and rescue activities.
Examples include:
Jackets.
Pants.
Shoes.
Gloves.
Helmets.
Respiratory equipment.
Manufacturers and sellers of PFAS-containing firefighting PPE must provide a written notice to the purchaser at the time of sale if they can answer yes to ALL of the following questions:
Is this product worn on the body?
Is this product designed or intended for firefighting personnel?
Is this product designed to protect the wearer against fire or other hazards commonly encountered in fire and rescue activities?
Was PFAS added to this product or any of the materials used to make it?
Note: “Fire and rescue” refers to firefighting and rescue activities performed by public or private employees whose job description includes fire suppression.
Manufacturers and sellers of PFAS-containing firefighting PPE must provide buyers with a written notice that says:
The equipment contains PFAS.
Why the equipment contains PFAS.
The manufacturer, seller, and purchaser must keep the notice on file for at least three years and provide it to us if requested.
The law does not specify which alternatives should be used. Manufacturers and vendors can provide you with alternatives that do not contain PFAS.
Preferred purchasing guidelines
The law directs us to work with the Department of Enterprise Services to develop preferred purchasing guidance to help other public sectors avoid purchasing AFFF and PFAS-containing PPE.
Frequently asked questions
Class B foams are designed to put out fires fueled by flammable liquids like gasoline, kerosene, grease, solvents, and oil.
Effective foams without intentionally added PFAS are available.
Yes. The law prohibits the use of AFFF for fire training. However, AFFF may still be used for real fires and emergencies that involve flammable liquid fires.
No. This law does not prohibit you from doing required testing of foam dispersal equipment. You can reduce or eliminate dispersal of PFAS foams during testing by using an input-based test box.
Aug. 2024: DOD authorized the use of these foams at the military’s shore-based installations and requires them to stop using AFFF by Oct. 1, 2025, but has since reported to Congress that it anticipates needing to extend this deadline to Oct. 1, 2026.
