What Is AFFF? - AFFF is Aqueous Film Forming Foam, an ingredient used to suppress the fire. Over the years, it was a source of toxic chemicals that could cause long-term health issues and environmental hazards.
Although it hasn’t been produced using these chemicals for several years, the damage has already been done. AFFF was created before the composition change and is still in storage and used. These are referred to as “legacy AFFFs,” although municipal fire departments do not use them, they continue to be used to battle fires at bases for the military. Additionally, these harmful contaminants contaminate groundwater and soil, exposing many more to hazards and causing significant environmental harm.
If you’ve been exposed to AFFF and are suffering from cancer or other serious health problems, an AFFF legal expert from The Justice Now can help to get the money you’re entitled to. Our experts have secured nearly $4 billion for our client through settlements and verdicts.
AFFF Firefighting Foam
AFFF has been utilized in the 1960s for fighting fuel fires fueled by hydrocarbons since the 1960s. When the fire is extinguished, this “film-forming foam” covers the area and stops the fire from reigniting. While it’s efficient, however, very little attention was paid to the effects of AFFF on our health until the last few years. Two chemicals removed from it because of potential toxic effects comprise Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA).
In New York, for example, a law identifies the two chemicals PFOA and PFOS as dangerous substances. If more than one kilogram or more of one chemical is released according to the state’s regulations, it has to be documented.
If AFFF gets released into the air, it may cause permanent harm to municipal and groundwater sources and even the food chain. When released, it may also take a long time for the chemicals to disappear naturally. For instance, after 42 years, around half of PFOS is broken down; however, the time frame is 91 years to get the other half of PFOA to achieve the same. Exposure will last for a long time for those exposed to these chemicals.
AFFF contamination is typically present in areas near airports, which is a method to fight jet fuel fires and chemical plants, military bases, and other areas where huge quantities of fuel are kept. It is still present on the sites of plane accidents and also in areas where firefighter training is conducted.
Firefighter Exposure
Professionals working with AFFF get the most exposure when putting out fires. However, they are also exposed when cleaning or maintaining the fire truck or other machinery. Furthermore, workers who work with chemicals in factories are also at risk. The AFFF is introduced into the body through the respiratory tract or via contact with the skin.
AFFF and Cancer
Anyone who is who are exposed to AFFF regularly, particularly firefighters who are exposed frequently, has a higher risk of cancer development due to PFOA as well as PFOS. Because it was utilized in the military for a long time, those who were involved in fighting fires as part of the military are particularly at risk. It is linked to several kinds of cancers, including:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Neuroendocrine tumors
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Liver cancer
- Cancer of the testicle
- AFFF Lawsuits
3M and other makers of AFFF are currently facing various lawsuits. The lawsuit asserts that the manufacturers were aware of the health dangers but failed to make any changes and continued to promote the product.
Contact us via The Justice Now today.
If you’re a military veteran, firefighter, or any other employee exposed to AFFF and diagnosed with cancer, consult an expert AFFF legal professional in The Justice Now. Text or call us anytime or fill out the online application to request an appointment for a no-cost consultation.
We will examine your past and provide you with choices. You may be eligible for reimbursement for costs for medical treatment and lost wages, and other damages like suffering and pain. Fulfilling a class-action lawsuit against the corporations accountable for AFFF is also possible.
Because we operate based on contingency, There is no charge other than payment.
