Facilities that use fluorine-based fire suppression foams are currently experiencing a wake-up call, with many being forced to take decisive action to get on the right side of changing regulations, says Mark Thewlis, Operations Director.

In order to meet its commitment to phase out the use of polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAs) in fire suppression, the UK Government has announced that C8 Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) has been prohibited from July 4th 2025. 

These foams are made using ‘forever chemicals’; long-chain molecules that pose a significant risk to the environment and human health, due to their inability to break down in nature.

But there’s a problem. These foams have been a vital part of the fire suppression industry for years and a key component in commercial facilities, especially those with significant liquid fuel and chemical risks. This means that business owners and facility managers face critical compliance deadlines that could impact not only their operations, but also their liability. 

What’s changing? 

The ban is the latest chapter in an escalating crackdown that began in Stockholm in 2009 with the prohibition of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate). A decade later the use of PFOAs was restricted, with a grace period to allow existing stocks to be depleted. That grace period expired in July when new regulations came into effect, with plans in place for a total ban on polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAs) in fire suppression by 2030 and potentially as early as next year.

The growing regulatory restrictions reflect a global effort to prohibit the use of these harmful chemicals and prevent them from entering the environment following the discharge of an industrial fire suppression system.

Who will be affected? 

Aqueous film-forming foam is typically deployed as part of suppression systems to fight flammable liquid fires. Chemical plants, automotive manufacturers, oil refineries and military facilities are just some of the places that these foams are used. But in both sprinkler systems and extinguishers, their use is commonplace at facilities across the country. 

Whether you will be impacted or not largely depends on the industry you work in and the system that you currently have in place. 

What do you need to do? 

If you haven’t already, the time to act is now.

That means you need to accelerate the safe disposal of any existing foam. You also need to plan and implement an alternative solution so that your vital fire suppression systems remain operational and effective. 

A sensible starting point is to undertake a thorough assessment of your existing system. The key AFFF to look for is called C8 (named after the number of carbon atoms that it contains) which was prohibited from July 4th. But facilities should also look out for C6 foams which are next in line for restrictions. 

Another shrewd move would be to begin exploring what fluorine-free alternatives are available – known as synthetic fluorine-free foams (SFFF) – and analyse how compatible their usage would be with their current fire suppression system.

The bottom line for facilities managers is that change is coming. Whether it’s the immediate ban on C8 foams or the inevitable restriction of C6, a fluorine-free future is inevitable. Waiting to see how this will impact your fire suppression is not a viable strategy, instead now is the time to proactively assess your systems and explore alternative solutions.