A UNC System initiative is helping fire departments move away from toxic PFAS foams

October 17, 2024 Foster Foday-Hemingway
The Chapel Hill Fire Department is among several in the state that has discontinued the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS, a class of chemicals that have been linked to a variety of health problems. (Foster Foday-Hemingway / Carolina Connection)

The EPA has deemed North Carolina one of the states most heavily impacted by PFAS contamination. PFAS is a class of toxic chemicals widely used for their water and heat resistant properties. One common use is in foams that fight fires.

A 2023 state law tasked a UNC System research network called the North Carolina Collaboratory with overseeing a voluntary program that helps local fire departments identify and dispose of those foams.

Foster Foday-Hemingway reports.

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