In the 2023 session, the Minnesota Legislature enacted Statute 325F.072, mandating that Minnesota’s Part 139 airports transition away from Class B Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), which is primarily used in airport firefighting. Class B AFFF contains fluorine-based compounds known as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl)—a “forever chemical” that breaks down very slowly in the environment and has been shown to cause human health risks such as cancer.
MnDOT Aeronautics recently convened the PFAS Transition Team to help airports move to non-AFFF. Tasks include identifying a new foam that does not include PFAS and determining its compatibility with current equipment, decontamination procedures, and AFFF disposal.
The team will be working closely with the State Fire Marshal division (SFMD)of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to determine a transition timeline and cleanliness standards.
For more on this, visit the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website.
