General Information

The Pennsylvania PFAS Action Team published a report summarizing activities from 2019. See the item under Related Articles titled 2019 PA PFAS Action Team Report.

The excerpt below is from the Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC) section of the report.

The State Fire Academy will update its state-wide training programs to reflect best practices regarding firefighting operations and the use of newer, compliant foams. The Office of the State Fire Commissioner will educate fire departments about the concerns and disposal of fluorinated foams. Additionally, OSFC will work with industry experts to update training curricula that reflects best practices when for the use of PFAS-free foams. This project would require hiring a consultant and approximately one year of curricula development. In the interim, OSFC will develop and issue guidance encouraging the limited use of fluorinated foams only for situations where life safety is threatened. This guidance will be available in spring 2020.

RECOMMENDATION: Currently, there is no legal authority for the OSFC’s State Fire Academy to require that fire departments and training facilities submit to the Academy information about their use and storage of fluorinated foams. The Action Team recommends that legislation be enacted to provide the State Fire Academy with the authority to acquire this information. This recommendation will assist with the efforts to pinpoint potentially impacted areas and to engage in remediation if necessary.

RECOMMENDATION: The Action Team recommends that officials, such as the General Assembly or agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction, establish an AFFF “take-back” collection program. This program model has been successfully demonstrated by the state of Michigan who authorized $1.4 million in funding for the collection and safe disposal of over 30,000 gallons of AFFF.

RECOMMENDATION: The Action Team recommends that Commonwealth Officials establish a fund to replace fire departments’ AFFF inventory with environmentally safer firefighting foams that are available on the market. This will significantly reduce the financial burden from local fire departments and result in increased program participation.

Discharge and Use

Beginning on July 1, 2021, no person, entity, or a municipality may discharge or use AFFF for testing or training purposes, subject to some exceptions including:  (1) the testing facility has implemented appropriate containment, treatment and disposal measures to prevent releases of AFFF into the environment; and (2) the training replaces the AFFF that contains a PFAS chemical with non-fluorinated substance.

Regulation Status

Proposed

Legislative Reference

PA SB 919 https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2019&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=919