All uses of PFOA firefighting foam will be prohibited in the UK from 4 July 2025. There is a derogation in place for the use of PFOA Class B fire-fighting foam already installed in systems, including both mobile and fixed systems, provided certain conditions are met.
We have now entered the period (from 1 Jan 2023) where the use of PFOA foam already installed in firefighting systems shall only be allowed in cases where all releases can be contained. For example, use of PFOA foam for firefighting at a marine jetty (no containment) is now banned in the UK.
There is also a requirement to notify the UK environmental regulators of any PFOA foam stockpiles >50kg.
A compliance advice note is available on request as a well as a copy of the stockpile notification form.
In Wales, please contact chemicals@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.
