New Jersey works to destroy firefighting foam laced with cancer-linked PFAS
Summary
New Jersey is removing firefighting foam called AFFF because it contains harmful chemicals known as PFAS, which are linked to cancer in firefighters. The state has collected over 150,000 gallons of this foam to be safely destroyed, and fire departments are switching to safer, PFAS-free foam.Key Facts
- AFFF foam used by New Jersey firefighters since the 1980s contains PFAS, chemicals linked to cancer.
- Firefighter Robert Gancarz’s department removed 580 gallons of AFFF foam due to health risks.
- New Jersey has collected more than 150,000 gallons of AFFF foam from fire stations statewide.
- The collected foam is sent to an Ohio company, Revive Environmental, which uses special reactors to destroy PFAS and produce clean water.
- PFAS were also found in firefighters’ protective gear worn during calls.
- Robert Gancarz and his father “Boots” Gancarz, a longtime firefighter diagnosed with colon cancer in 2024, have been exposed to PFAS.
- Fire departments are replacing AFFF with new foams made from safer ingredients like soybeans, which still effectively put out fires.
- Blood tests showed Robert Gancarz has higher PFAS levels than average Americans, raising cancer concerns.
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