New Jersey works to destroy firefighting foam laced with cancer-linked PFAS

Hundreds of New Jersey fire departments are working to dispose of a firefighting foam proven to put out flames, but laced with chemicals linked to cancer. Fire Chief Robert Gancarz of Jacobstown Volunteer Fire Department described the foam, aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), as "like sitting on a bomb." His department eagerly got rid of all 580 gallons it had used since the mid-1980s, concerned that "the very tools I am using can cause health problems." AFFF contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals." Studies link exposure to higher cancer rates among firefighters. New Jersey is among states actively collecting and destroying AFFF. The state has gathered more than 150,000 gallons from fire stations, all transported to Revive Environmental in Ohio for destruction in super critical water reactors, which the company states produce clean water. Concerns also extend to firefighters' protective gear, which for decades contained PFAS. "It was in the gear and everything," said "Boots" Gancarz, Robert Gancarz's father, who spent his adult life fighting fires. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2024. His son, Robert, has been blood-tested and found to have higher PFAS levels than the average American, acknowledging it is "definitely a scary, scary thing to think about." Jacobstown's fire department now uses a PFAS-free foam made with soybeans. While it requires slightly more product, it remains effective at extinguishing fires. The initiative reflects a growing effort nationwide to address the health risks associated with PFAS exposure in the firefighting community.

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It was like sitting on a bomb. How am I going to get rid of this?