GreenScreen Certified for Fire Fighting Foam Launched

September 10, 2020 Blogs

The Expanded GreenScreen Certified™ Standard for Firefighting Foam now prohibits PFAS and reduces the chemical footprint of both Class A and Class B firefighting foam products

In early 2020, Clean Production Action launched the first eco-label certification for PFAS-free* firefighting foam.  Our GreenScreen Certified™ Firefighting Foam Standard was created to meet the demand for PFAS-free firefighting foam, typically used in Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF) to suppress Class B fires.  We developed the new eco-label in response to growing global concern about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they can persist for hundreds if not thousands of years in the environment. For decades the use of PFAS in firefighting foam for fuel and oil fires at military bases, airports, refineries, and elsewhere proved effective in smothering fires but the use of these chemicals is now recognized as an environmental, human health and financial catastrophe, with firefighters facing increased exposure.  In September 2020, CPA expanded the scope of the Standard to address Class A firefighting foam as well.  Class A foams, used to suppress wildfires, structural fires and other combustible materials, typically do not use PFAS but can contain many other toxic ingredients.  That is why GreenScreen Certified™ Firefighting Foam Standard version 2.0 was created.  Firefighters and communities can now have added peace of mind that GreenScreen Certified firefighting productsfor both Class A and Class B fires have undergone scrutiny to be PFAS-free*, free of thousands of other chemicals of high concern including carcinogens, and protective of waterways.

Both Class A and Class B foam concentrates can now be certified within three levels of certification – Bronze, Silver and Gold.  The Standard is built on the foundation of GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals, the globally recognized chemical hazard assessment tool. The Standard requires full chemical ingredient identification and uses a combination of a restricted substances list (RSL), GreenScreen scores, and analytic testing for acute aquatic toxicity and total organic fluorine. All three levels certify that products do not use PFAS, or any of the chemicals listed on the RSL plus over 2,000 other chemicals of high concern plus they must meet aquatic toxicity criterion. Although Class A foam concentrates typically do not use PFAS, there may be residual PFAS in the product which is why the same rigorous testing applies to these products as well. The Silver and Gold levels offer increasingly precautionary specifications.

Eliminating chemicals of high concern in products prior to market is an essential step if we are to avoid the mistakes of the past. The GreenScreen Certified™ Firefighting Foam standard ** now offers manufacturers of Class A and Class B foam concentrates and wetting agents a competitive advantage in proving their products are not only PFAS-free but have a lower chemical footprint. We welcome any and all inquiries to get certified!  Contact us at certifications@cleanproduction.org.

* PFAS-free is defined as zero intentionally added PFAS to the product and PFAS contamination in the product must be less than 0.0001 percent by weight of the product (1part per million) total organic fluorine as measured by combustion ion chromatography.

**GreenScreen Certified™ Standard for Firefighting Foam: Class A Foam Concentrates, Class B Foam Concentrates, Class A Wetting Agents, and Class A&B Wetting Agents