Independent guidance on
fluorine-free foam and AFFF

Situation assessment, concepts and project management.

We will guide you through the transition from AFFF to fluorine-free foam!

„The Commission will ban all PFAS as a group in firefighting foams [..], allowing their use only where they are essential for society.“

European Commission 2020: Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment

The Problem

All AFFF will be banned!

All PFAS-based foams, like AFFF, FP or FFFP, have come under the scrutiny of legislators – in the European Union and worldwide. While there will be transition periods, likely, they will all eventually be banned. AFFF have always been considered the best performing foams for many applications. The capability to form an aqueous film and the “fuel water repellency“ make them superior in fighting fires, especially in industrial facilities. So, what should you do if they are to be banned? The transition to fluorine-free foam doesn’t come as a drop-in replacement: Extinguishing performance, expansion ratio, application rates, viscosity, and tank cleaning are just some of the issues that need attention.

1 Situation Assessment

Understanding your situation always comes first. The foam concentrate you have, the equipment you use, the risks you face and the constraints you need to consider are the basis for any project.

At the end of the situation assessment, you will understand which issues need to be addressed and you will know the scope of the project.
2 Project Planning

Now it's time to plan. We find the right foam concentrate, identify the necessary technical modifications, plan the cleaning of the systems and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

At the end of the project planning phase, you know how to solve the problems, what it will cost, and how long the project will take.
You can start the project execution.
3 Project Execution

Now the project will be executed. We identify the suppliers and service providers, monitor implementation, and find solutions if something does not go as planned.

At the end of the project execution, the new fluorine free foam concentrate is in the systems, the vehicles are ready for use and the extinguishing systems are operational. The old foam concentrate was disposed of properly.
4 Training , documentation, and quality assurance

Now the knowledge transfer from the project must be ensured. This includes training, the handing over of the documentation, and the establishment of a quality management system.

At the end of the last phase, your employees are familiar with the new technology and the new foam concentrate and ensure that both are always ready for use.
The project is completed

The Solution

Your roadmap to fluorine-free foam

We will guide you through the foam transition – independently.

It starts with the analysis of your situation and your risks. Based on this assessment, we will develop a concept for the foam transition and guide you through the implementation.

The solution will consider the latest research and tests – sometimes so new that they have not even been published. And it is based on years of solid practical experience.

References

Our clients

Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent und die Grenadinen, Trinidad und Tobago

Knowledge

What you need to know about foam

The application rate and the L Curve of firefighting foam

Understanding foam part 1 The L Curve – Extinguishment times over the application rate from 9 different tests So we all kind of know it

AFFF foam – All you need to know

What is AFFF foam? AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) is a fluorine-containing firefighting foam primarily used to extinguish flammable liquids such as petrol. It forms

Schild Gewässerbelastung durch PFAS in Schaummittel

The PFAS ban in firefighting foam in the EU [2023]

Certain foam concentrates used to extinguish fires – especially AFFF – contain fluorosurfactants or PFAS. PFAS are harmful to the environment and health. That is

About us

Eike Peltzer

Consulting Engineer, Managing Director

Eike Peltzer is a consulting engineer, founder and managing director of E.P.FIRE. Since 2021 he has been advising fire departments and operators of extinguishing systems on the transition from AFFF to fluorine-free foam. Before that, he worked for 13 years as a manager at an industrial fire brigade in the chemical industry. He has organized, carried out and accompanied numerous tests on the performance of fluorine-free foam concentrates.

Since 2016, Eike has headed the working group on firefighting foam of the German Industrial Firefighters Association (WFVD). He is a member of the technical committee on operations, extinguishing agents and environmental protection of the German Fire Brigade Association (DFV), in the fire extinguishing agent standards committee, advises the European Chemicals Agency and the Stockholm Convention committees on the effects of the PFAS regulation on foam concentrates and their users.

Eike holds a Bachelor (B.Eng.) in Rescue Engineering from TH Köln and a Master (M.Sc.) in Disaster Management from Coventry University (UK). He has also completed the national training programm for Fire Officers (Senior Management Level) in Germany.

Friedrich Buschmann

Engineer

Friedrich Buschmann has been working at E.P.FIRE since 2023. He advises fire brigades and operators of extinguishing systems on the transition from AFFF to fluorine-free foam concentrate. He studied fire engineering at the TH Köln for his bachelor's and master's degrees and was already dealing with the performance of fluorine-free foam concentrate during his studies and in his final theses.

Friedrich has several years of professional experience with a industrial fire brigades and as a risk engineer with a technical insurance broker.

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AFFF vs. fluorine-free firefighting foam

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