Governor Kotek signs bill to ban firefighting foam containing PFAS

On Wednesday, Governor Kotek signed Senate Bill 91 into law, which bans firefighting foam containing PFAS in Oregon (except when required by the Federal Aviation Administration or other federal laws), making Oregon the 16th state to have such a law on the books.

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a threat to our environment and public health. PFAS have been given the nickname “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in our bodies or in the environment. So the more they get used, the more they build up and the bigger risk they pose. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to PFAS chemicals, even in small amounts over time, has been linked to serious health effects including cancer, thyroid disruption and reduced vaccine response.

The use of firefighting foam containing PFAS foam puts our waterways at risk and also endangers our firefighters, who are at increased cancer risk due to exposure to PFAS. In fact, cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters in the United States, according to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network and the International Association of Fire Fighters.

“We’re happy to see Senate Bill 91 signed into law. Firefighters put their lives on the line to protect us in an emergency, and we must make sure they aren’t exposed to toxic chemicals when they do,” said Charlie Fisher, OSPIRG’s state director.

“Thank you to Governor Kotek and the Oregon legislature for their decisive action to eliminate PFAS in firefighting foam to protect our heroic firefighters,” said Celeste Meiffren-Swango, state director of Environment Oregon. “Together, we can keep working to eliminate PFAS from consumer products and help build a cleaner, greener, safer future in Oregon.”