Reminder of October 1, 2021, Statutory Prohibition on Use of PFAS-containing Class B Firefighting Foams for Training Purposes
August 31, 2021
Re: Reminder of October 1, 2021, Statutory Prohibition on Use of PFAS-containing Class B
Firefighting Foams for Training Purposes
During the 2020 Maryland General Assembly Session, the legislature enacted legislation prohibiting
the use of PFAS-containing Class-B firefighting foams for training and testing purposes on or after
October 1, 2021, with very limited exceptions. Information on the law can be found here:
mgaleg.maryland.gov/2020RS/chapters_noln/Ch_277_sb0420E.pdf
As part of the Maryland Department of the Environment’s (MDE’s) comprehensive strategy to
understand, communicate and reduce unacceptable human health risks associated with PFAS, we are
writing today to remind you of the October 1, 2021, effective date for the prohibition on the use
of PFAS-containing Class-B firefighting foams for training and testing purposes.
Over the next few weeks, MDE will be sending out a voluntary survey regarding your organization’s
use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams (i.e., inventory, historical use, future plans, etc.). Results
from the survey will assist MDE in estimating how much PFAS-containing foam is currently being
stored or has been used in Maryland. MDE also asks that firefighting organizations begin to notify
MDE (by calling 1-866-633-4686) whenever PFAS-containing Class-B firefighting foams are used.
As you may already know, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (aka PFAS) are a group of over
4,000 human-made compounds that have been used in a variety of industrial and commercial
products and processes, including firefighting foams, since the 1940s. Certain PFAS compounds
have been found to be persistent in the environment, meaning they do not typically break down into
less toxic compounds and they can accumulate in animals (such as in some types of fish) and
become more concentrated over time. This is why it is so important to properly manage the use and
disposal of these materials, and to effectively address spills and releases into the environment to
prevent the spread of contamination into surface waters (e.g., streams and creeks) and drinking water
supplies.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have investigated the
toxicity of two particular PFAS compounds (Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)) that are commonly used in certain firefighting foams. Studies
suggest that repeated exposure to these two particular PFAS compounds may be associated with:
increased cholesterol levels, increased risk of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia in pregnant
women, changes in liver enzymes, decreased vaccine response, and small decreases in infant birth
weights. Additionally, the EPA has classified PFOA and PFOS as having potential carcinogenic
effects in humans. Additional information on the human health effects of these compounds can be
found through the following links:
ATSDR: cdc.gov/TSP/ToxProfiles/ToxProfiles.aspx?id=1117&tid=237
EPA: epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas
Additionally, MDE would also like to take this opportunity to provide you with background
information on PFAS compounds, potential human health risks associated with PFAS exposure, and
information on how firefighters can reduce their occupational exposure to these compounds.
Attached in this outreach package is a document entitled “Preparing for the October 1, 2021, Ban on
PFAS-containing Firefighting Foams for Training and Testing Purposes,” which contains links to
additional resources concerning PFAS in firefighting foams. For more information on MDE’s PFASrelated work, please visit mde.maryland.gov/MDandPFAS.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Geoffrey Donahue at 410-537-3868 or
geoffrey.donahue@maryland.gov.
Sincerely,
Ben Grumbles
Secretary
Attachments:
MDE Preparing for Oct 1, 2021, Ban on PFAS in Firefighting Foams
MDE PFAS in Class B Foams Infographic