Firefighter’s exposure to AFFF Foam may lead to Cancer Risk

DuPont’s $1.18 Billion Deal Approved in Firefighting Foam Class Action

Attention: The Schmidt National Law Group is no longer accepting these cases.

March 8, 2024 – A federal court has now approved a $1.18 billion settlement from water polluted by PFAS chemicals.

The settlement agreement encompasses three chemical companies: DuPont, Chemors, and Corteva. Its purpose is to address the expenses associated with rectifying the contamination of public water systems caused by PFAS chemicals, as well as conducting tests on water systems that are susceptible to PFAS pollution.

This case is classified as a class action lawsuit, encompassing all public water systems in the United States that receive water from at least one source that has tested positive for PFAS. Additionally, it includes all public water systems that are legally mandated to conduct PFAS testing. Importantly, the terms of the settlement do not prohibit any plaintiff from pursuing future cases related to groundwater or soil contamination.

However, it is essential to note that the settlement does not cover state- or federally-owned systems, systems that are not obligated to monitor for PFAS, or systems located in the lower Cape Fear River Basin of North Carolina unless they choose to participate voluntarily.

November 8, 2021 – San Diego, CA.  The foam that many fire departments across the U.S. use on a regular basis has come under scrutiny for health concerns that it could lead to various types of cancer.

It’s called Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) and is most commonly used to suppress flammable liquid fires such as jet fuels, racing fuels and other high octane fuels.  It’s also found in boating applications for suppressing boat engine fires, and also used in firefighting training facilities. It’s known in the industry as 3% or 6% based on its combined mixture.

It’s been around and widely used since the 1940’s and because of this long term use, hundreds of thousands of men and women firefighters across the nation, may have come into direct contact with this type of foam during their daily work or training routines.

What are the dangers of AFFF for firefighters?

AFFF foam is type Class B foam, meaning its use is primarily for Class B type of fires, which include fuels, gases and oil fires. It’s made from combining various foaming agents with fluorinated surfactants. It is the fluorinated surfactants ingredient that may be the link to cancers.  

Science has classified Fluorinated surfactants under the class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and are amphiphilic molecules that comprise hydrophobic fluorocarbon chains and hydrophilic head-groups.  

These PFAS are also called “Forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment. There are over 7,000 types of PFAS and are found in many products including Teflon cookware to stain resistant carpet and firefighting foam. Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to a few types of cancers, thyroid disease, weakened immunity and other health effects.

If PFAS causes cancer, why is there PFAS in Firefighter Foam?

PFAS chemicals are found in AFFF from a breakdown of the precursor compounds, it was never an added ingredient, but simply when the foam gets old it creates these toxic compounds.  AFFF constitutes a U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration hazardous material because of its physical hazards.

Leading AFFF Manufactures.

Various chemical companies that are currently producing and selling widely used AFFF products include:

• 3M
• Buckeye Fire Equipment Company
• Chemours Company
• Chemguard
• DuPont
• Dynax Corporation
• Kiddle-Fenwal
• National Foam Inc
• Tyco Fire Products

Who’s Accountable for the AFFF firefighters Cancer Risk?

Simply put, all of the manufacturers listed above allegedly have known about the PFAS chemicals found in AFFF since at least the 1940’s when production began, yet they chose not to disclose or make public the fact that these “Forever chemicals” could be present in their products.  

Because of the lack of warning labels, instructional use guidelines or other warnings these companies can be held liable for injuries to any firefighter who may be diagnosed with cancer or other debilitating health problems.  

Have you or a firefighter you know has been diagnosed with cancer after being exposed to AFFF foam?

If so please contact the Schmidt National Law Group at 1-800-631-5656.  Or use the 100% secure form on this page to start the claims process, including a free case review of your situation, we’re now accepting these firefighter foam lawsuits from any state in the U.S.

Sources:

https://dec.alaska.gov/spar/csp/pfas/firefighting-foam/

https://www.cleanwateraction.org/features/pfas-containing-firefighting-foams

https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/0,9038,7-365-86514-496805–,00.html