Delaware’s firefighting agencies have replaced foam containing PFAS with a protein-based alternative, ahead of a state ban set to take effect in January 2028. The law aims to prevent further contamination from chemicals that have polluted drinking water near military bases and are linked to serious health problems. Gov. Matt Meyer signed the legislation after state lawmakers sought to stop PFAS from entering the environment through firefighting exercises and emergencies. The measure’s sponsor, Rep. Frank Burns, a Newark Democrat, said foam used on fires can run off into water supplies. “One of the things we need to do is stop adding it to the environment,” Burns said. PFAS is a broad class of chemicals used in products including nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing. The compounds can persist in the environment and the human body. Near the New Castle Air National Guard Base, residents have been found to have elevated PFAS levels in their blood, and millions of dollars have been spent to remove the chemicals from municipal water. For decades, firefighters used aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, to extinguish fires involving gasoline and other liquid fuels. It forms a barrier that smothers flames and limits fuel vapors. But the foam can also expose firefighters and contaminate soil, storm drains and nearby water. John Adams, president of the firefighters’ union representing career firefighters and EMTs in New Castle County, said responders sometimes handled foam-soaked hoses without gloves that fully protected their skin. Delaware State Fire School Deputy Director Chad Ingram, who led the effort to replace the foam, said departments now use a PFAS-free product. It is less effective than AFFF and must be reapplied more frequently: roughly every five to seven minutes, compared with 15 to 30 minutes for the older foam. Ingram said the change was made with both safety and firefighting effectiveness in mind. The law also requires manufacturers of firefighting gear to add warning labels about PFAS. Firefighters can encounter the chemicals in protective equipment as well as foam, and Ingram said departments will need gear that avoids toxic materials while still protecting responders from fire and other hazards. Cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters, and research has associated PFAS exposure with increased risk. The Delaware City Refinery is exempt from the foam ban for up to 13 years, but must report every use of AFFF. The U.S. Department of Defense has also begun phasing out AFFF, and at least 16 states have banned its use, according to the information provided.