Requires manufacturers of firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) to notify buyers in Washington if their products contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
Requires federally-certified part 139 airports to transition to Department of Defense (DOD) approved non-PFAS firefighting agents by Sept. 30, 2025.
We are developing an AFFF collection and disposal program to help local fire departments and first responders collect and safely dispose of unused AFFF they have on-site.
In Washington, Class B firefighting foam (otherwise known as AFFF) 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-certified airports (see next section for details)).
Used for fire training. No exceptions.
AFFF may still be used for emergencies and required testing.
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.
Requirements for developing 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.
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.
The law does not require disposal of unused AFFF. It can still be used in emergencies that involve flammable liquid fires.
If you choose to dispose of unused AFFF, you may do one of the following:
Department of Defense (DOD) updated its firefighting foam specifications and approved the use of non-PFAS foam at shore-based facilities.
FAA also authorized the use of DOD-approved foam for emergency operations at commercial airports.
Unfortunately, the law does not specify which alternatives should be used. Manufacturers and vendors can provide you with alternatives that do not contain PFAS.
However, we have not evaluated the safety or performance of any alternatives yet.
