FIA releases updated guidance on PFAS in firefighting foams

While there’s currently no legal ban in the UK on supplying or refilling fluorotelomer-based (C6) AFFF, regulations are changing fast, particularly so around legacy chemicals like PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS, all of which are already restricted under REACH and POPs.

Across Europe, the regulatory picture is evolving as well, with new limits on PFHxA and broader proposals targeting all PFAS in firefighting foams, from civil aviation through to municipal FRS use. These changes may not apply directly in the UK just yet, but they’re certainly shaping what’s to come.

Meanwhile, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Health and Safety Executive have launched a consultation on UK-specific restrictions, which are expected to take shape in 2026 and beyond.

Transition periods are likely to follow the EU model, with up to ten years for high-risk industrial applications, but much shorter timeframes for general firefighting use.

As the landscape shifts, it follows that end users, manufacturers and fire safety professionals need to prepare for the phase-out of PFAS-based foams and the operational and disposal challenges this brings.

*Download copies of the updated Fire Industry Association Guidance Document