The Tasmania Fire Service has claimed there is "no conclusive evidence" of the health impacts of firefighting foam, and will continue to use a foam which tests have shown contains potentially carcinogenic PFAS chemicals. Tests carried out last month on Tridol stored at the TFS's Cambridge site showed it contained PFOS and PFOA, which belong to the PFAS group of chemicals. They are considered close to indestructible once they enter the environment and have potential health impacts on humans. The foam, which is stored in 1000-litre containers, is used on large flammable liquid spills or fires. These types of fires occur rarely, but would require the foam to be transported across the state from Cambridge for use. Related: Tasmanian firefighters refuse to use PFAS-containing foam The TFS established a PFAS committee 18 months ago, but was yet to phase out the use of Tridol and was the only fire service in Australia yet to ban PFAS chemicals. In an email to TFS members last week, deputy chief operations officer Bruce Byatt said Tridol would only be phased out "once a suitable alternative has been identified". He said firefighting foam could still be safe to use, using terminology similar to that found on the Tasmanian Public Health Services website. "There is no conclusive evidence on the health effects of firefighting foam and there will be times when the use of foam due to operational necessity cannot be avoided," Mr Byatt said to members. "However, personal exposure can be minimised by wearing protective equipment appropriate to the risk and maintaining good occupational hygiene practices." N OTHER NEWS: The United Firefighters Union has been urging the TFS to ban PFAS chemicals and to replace them with alternatives on the market, but to no avail. UFU Tasmania industrial organiser Stephen McCallum said alternatives in the past had been thicker than Tridol, but there were now "safe foams" that would not require the TFS to change its equipment. He said the TFS should follow other states and take a "precautionary approach" to guard members against any potential health risks. "If there's a health concern with a chemical you're using as a government agency, you should be replacing it with a safer foam until there is enough evidence to say it's safe, rather than forcing people to use a foam until there is enough evidence," Mr McCallum said. "There's no arguing that this is a PFAS product." He said the PFAS contamination of vehicles had also been raised, which in turn meant any water stored in the vehicles could contain PFAS. In Victoria, firefighting vehicles had to be decontaminated to bring PFOS levels down to 70 parts-per-trillion. TFS deputy chief officer Jeff Harper said Tridol ATF "does not contain PFOS or PFOA", according to the manufacturer, Angus. He said the TFS was monitoring scientific and health advice from the federal government. "TFS is developing plans to transition out of all foams that contain PFAS," Mr Harper said.
The TFS will continue using Tridol, despite the firefighters' union having evidence it contains PFAS chemicals.
The Tasmania Fire Service has claimed there is "no conclusive evidence" of the health impacts of firefighting foam, and will continue to use a foam which tests have shown contains potentially carcinogenic PFAS chemicals.
Tests carried out last month on Tridol stored at the TFS's Cambridge site showed it contained PFOS and PFOA, which belong to the PFAS group of chemicals. They are considered close to indestructible once they enter the environment and have potential health impacts on humans.
The foam, which is stored in 1000-litre containers, is used on large flammable liquid spills or fires. These types of fires occur rarely, but would require the foam to be transported across the state from Cambridge for use.
The TFS established a PFAS committee 18 months ago, but was yet to phase out the use of Tridol and was the only fire service in Australia yet to ban PFAS chemicals.
In an email to TFS members last week, deputy chief operations officer Bruce Byatt said Tridol would only be phased out "once a suitable alternative has been identified".
He said firefighting foam could still be safe to use, using terminology similar to that found on the Tasmanian Public Health Services website.
"There is no conclusive evidence on the health effects of firefighting foam and there will be times when the use of foam due to operational necessity cannot be avoided," Mr Byatt said to members.
"However, personal exposure can be minimised by wearing protective equipment appropriate to the risk and maintaining good occupational hygiene practices."
The United Firefighters Union has been urging the TFS to ban PFAS chemicals and to replace them with alternatives on the market, but to no avail.
UFU Tasmania industrial organiser Stephen McCallum said alternatives in the past had been thicker than Tridol, but there were now "safe foams" that would not require the TFS to change its equipment.
He said the TFS should follow other states and take a "precautionary approach" to guard members against any potential health risks.
"If there's a health concern with a chemical you're using as a government agency, you should be replacing it with a safer foam until there is enough evidence to say it's safe, rather than forcing people to use a foam until there is enough evidence," Mr McCallum said.
"There's no arguing that this is a PFAS product."
He said the PFAS contamination of vehicles had also been raised, which in turn meant any water stored in the vehicles could contain PFAS.
In Victoria, firefighting vehicles had to be decontaminated to bring PFOS levels down to 70 parts-per-trillion.
TFS deputy chief officer Jeff Harper said Tridol ATF "does not contain PFOS or PFOA", according to the manufacturer, Angus.
He said the TFS was monitoring scientific and health advice from the federal government.
"TFS is developing plans to transition out of all foams that contain PFAS," Mr Harper said.
Follow us
Ad blocker issue
Your ad blocker may be preventing you from
being able to log in or subscribe.
