Boston firefighter Daniel Ranahan had heard about coworkers having cancer, but he was stunned when doctors found a tumor in his chest.
He was only 30 years old and had been in the Boston Fire Department for less than a decade. But when he investigated his diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in October 2020 and sought successful treatment, he learned that he and others had worn gear that contained the toxic industrial compound PFAS.
“You always hear about the dangers. You never think it’s going to be you,” said Ranahan, who stopped working because of cancer and is one of Thousands of firefighters across the country filed suit PFAS manufacturers and companies that make firefighting gear and foam are seeking compensation for their exposure.
“These guys put it on day in and day out to protect the neighborhoods and wherever they’re working,” he said. The Associated Press was not given access to his doctors because of the ongoing litigation. Making his claims difficult to verify independently.
The layered coats and pants worn by firefighters have become the latest battleground over PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. they are found in everything From food packaging to clothes And are linked to health problems, including many types of cancer. In March, the Environmental Protection Agency for the first time Proposed limits on chemicals in drinking water.
The news that PFAS compounds are in their gear — primarily to repel contaminants like water and oil and prevent moisture-related burns — is worrisome for firefighters.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, or IAFF, says cancer has replaced heart disease as the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths. Firefighters have been shown to be at greater risk than the general population Having many types of cancer.
Firefighters face a longer list of carcinogens coming from hotter and faster-burning fires than ever before – often due to rising petroleum products in homes. But as they learn more about PFAS, firefighters have become suspicious that their personal protective equipment, or PPE, is making them sick.
“We had no idea that the gear we were wearing every day was essentially loaded with PFAS,” said Edward Kelly, IAFF General President.
Sam Dillon, president of Boston Firefighters Local 718, said the union needs to take action.
“When we break it down, the problem becomes very simple for us,” he said. “It is proven science that PFAS is a known carcinogen. There is also proven science that PFAS are in the protective gear that firefighters wear. So when it is brought to our attention that the protective clothing our members wear contains a known carcinogen, it is of grave concern to the union and it is our job to address that issue.
3M Co., a defendant in the lawsuits, said in a statement that it “manufactures a variety of personal protective equipment products that meet nationally recognized standards to help protect first responders who encounter high-risk environments.” Let’s complete it.” Last year, the company announced it would stop manufacturing PFAS by the end of 2025 and work to phase out the use of the chemicals in its products.
Another defendant, WL Gore & Associates, says the PFAS compound used in its clothing is non-toxic and safe.
Company spokeswoman Amy Calhoun said, “Based on the available and reliable science, Gore concluded that its firefighting products do not cause cancer affecting firefighters, who by the nature of their critical job are sometimes at risk for developing cancer from fires.” Are exposed to chemicals.” ,
The American Chemistry Council said in a statement that “PFAS-based materials are the only viable option for some key devices that meet the critical performance properties required for firefighting gear.”
Concerns grew about gear
PFAS have been active for decades. But the wife of retired Worcester, Massachusetts fire Lt. Paul Cotter, who had cancer, raised concerns about PFAS in gear in 2016. Until then, many firefighters had not heard of PFAS or did not know it was in their gear.
Gear manufacturers told Diane Cotter that there were only small amounts of PFAS and that it was safe. She said, “When I was discussing the idea that chemicals in gear could cause cancer, firefighters attacked me.”
Cotter sent pieces of the gear to Graham Peaslee, a University of Notre Dame professor who studies PFAS, for testing.
“It was full of PFAS. That was the first eye-opening moment that there could be more than just quantity,” said Peasley, who also found the chemical in gloves and firehouse dust.
“They come forward and pose a risk,” he said.
Courtney Carignan, an exposure scientist and epidemiologist at Michigan State University, said she found PFAS in the blood of more than half of the 18 firefighters tested in Nantucket and Fall River, Massachusetts, at levels twice the general population. They also found that PFAS in the gear were transferred to the firefighters’ skin.
But Carignan is still investigating how much the gear contributed to increased PFAS levels in the blood and whether exposure to PFAS can cause or contribute to cancer.
“Even though we know PFAS are in gear, we still don’t know how much risk there is,” she said.
firefighters take action
The revelation of PFAS in gear sparked a campaign by firefighters to find safer alternatives and hold companies accountable.
The lawsuits on behalf of the firefighters argue that they were exposed to significant PFAS levels and that the companies knew the gear contained PFAS and could cause serious health problems. The lawsuit also accuses the companies of misrepresenting their products as safe.
The IAFF, which represents more than 340,000 U.S. and Canadian firefighters, decided not to accept sponsorships or advertising from the chemical industry in 2021 and to protest PFAS in turnout gear. A congressional bill introduced in July would accelerate the search for safer alternatives and support firefighter training to reduce risks from existing gear.
According to Safer States, a coalition of environmental health groups, seven states, including Washington, New Hampshire and New York, passed bills requiring companies to disclose PFAS in their gear. According to Emily Sampson, environmental policy analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures, several more states this year introduced or enacted bills that provide funding to purchase PFAS-free gear or ban the manufacture or sale of gear containing the chemicals.
no easy solution
For most fire departments, there is no easy solution. Replacement gear is expensive – a set can cost more than $4,000 – and finding alternatives has proven challenging. The IAFF said some companies are promoting a PFAS-free outer layer but this does not solve the problem because the other two layers still contain PFAS.
According to the IAFF lawsuit filed in March, one of the hurdles is that National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, standards for the gear can only be met with PFAS-contaminated materials. The lawsuit accuses NFPA of working with several gear manufacturers to maintain that requirement. It demands reparations and an end to the standard.
Chris Dubé, NFPA vice president and chief engineer, said in a statement that the standard “does not specify or require the use of any particular material, chemical or treatment for that gear.” He added that the group has no “special agreement or relationship” with any company or organization in the development of the standards.
“The manufacturers that are producing this gear have an obligation to the fire service to come up with an alternative,” said Brockton Fire Chief Brian Nardelli. Without much proof.
Instead, their department tries to limit a firefighter’s exposure to the gear that is integral to the firefighter’s identity. They will take it everywhere including charity events. Now, Brockton discourages firefighters from wearing turnout gear in living quarters and encourages them to wash it after a fire. It is stored in trucks and is only worn for serious calls such as fires and car accidents.
William Hill, president of Brockton Fire Fighters Local 144, who was successfully treated for testicular cancer, said, “People have seen everybody die of cancer.” “Being told that PFAS is in gear, people don’t want to take the risk of being overly exposed.”