Pennsylvania Signs Law Banning PFAS Firefighting Foam: Sales Barred from 2027, Use from 2028
On October 22, 2026, a Pennsylvania bill banning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foam was signed into law.
According to a statement issued the same day by the environmental group Environment America, the new law is based on Senate Bill 804: starting July 1, 2027, manufacturing, selling and distributing Class B firefighting foam containing PFAS will be prohibited; starting January 1, 2028, using such foam will be banned; and warning labels will be required on firefighter personal protective equipment that contains PFAS. PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they barely break down in the environment, and research links exposure to kidney and liver disease, immune suppression and cancer — now the leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths.
The statement also cited a recent report by the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center finding PFAS in 96 percent of the state's tested rivers and streams. PennEnvironment advocate Stephanie Wein said effective alternatives already exist, and that the bipartisan law protects both firefighters and drinking water statewide. Pennsylvania has 67 counties, and fire departments across them must complete foam replacement and disposal of old foam during the transition period.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：消防员佩戴呼吸器训练。摄影：U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kirsten Brandes，Public domain（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: A firefighter in breathing apparatus during training. Photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kirsten Brandes, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons).
