EJQ4 - Spring 2025 - Journal - Page 11
take e昀昀ect in 2027, in 昀椀re昀椀ghting apparel. “This is an extraordinary
day for 昀椀re昀椀ghters across the commonwealth,” State Senator Michael
Moore told journalists, citing an International Association of Fire昀椀ghters
assertion that cancer accounted for two-thirds of 昀椀re昀椀ghter deaths from
2002 to 2019.
Still, the discourse is far from outright consensus. The 昀椀re昀椀ghters association’s numbers didn’t distinguish between multiple carcinogens associated with close contact with 昀椀res, and the American Chemistry Council,
an industry association, rebutted that not all PFAS variants have the same
properties, harmful or otherwise.
“We have strong concerns with this legislation, including the overly
broad de昀椀nition of PFAS, and believe this bill may have unintended consequences for the performance of PPE that our 昀椀re昀椀ghters need,” the
chemistry council noted in a public statement, pointing out that PFAS
are lifesaving for 昀椀rst responders because they o昀昀er a barrier to harmful chemicals, as well as water, while keeping apparel breathable and heat
resistant.
Given the high number of PFAS variants, there’s little question they dif-
fer, often considerably, not only in terms of useful applications but also
potential harms and degrees of risk. Furthermore, the tools and methodologies scientists use to identify and measure chemicals continue to
improve so that detection, alone, doesn’t necessarily tell the full story. “We’ve analyzed drinking water from across the globe and we see it
everywhere, even in bottled water,” Sauvé points out. “But that doesn’t
mean that it’s toxic or that the levels are of concern. More that, if you
have the right equipment and the right methods, you can 昀椀nd traces
everywhere you look.”
Sauvé says there isn’t clear enough evidence, at least at this juncture, to
categorically declare PFAS-bearing consumer products safe or unsafe because too little is known about too many variants and because concentrations can vary. Still, he points to signi昀椀cant and clear exceptions. Venues
where PFAS-laden 昀椀re昀椀ghting foams have been deployed are broadly
considered high risk. Sauvé describes Lac Mégantic as among the largest
and well-known instances in Canada of terrestrial
contamination from 昀椀re昀椀ghting foams, with pollution reaching the town’s sewers, adjacent waterLEARN MORE ABOUT
ways, and ultimately the St. Lawrence River, but he
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considers this the tip of a larger iceberg.
E N V I RON M E N T J OURN A L QUA RT E RLY RE PORT • S PRI N G 2 0 2 5 • P AGE 1 1
