GreenScreen Certified® Standard for Firefighting Foam v.2

September 10, 2020 Publications

Why version 2.0 GreenScreen Certified® Standard for Firefighting Foam?

Originally launched in January 2020, GreenScreen Certified® Standard for Firefighting Foam addressed the problem of firefighting foams for Class B oil and fuel related fires. It was essential to eliminate the use of PFAS in these foam concentrates because the  the chemicals used, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), are now known to be a source of global contamination that will remain in the environment for hundreds of years. These “forever chemicals” are also highly mobile and widely detected in drinking water, groundwater and lakes with widespread ecological and human health risks. Exposure to PFAS is associated with cancer, developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, and other health effects, with firefighters who handle these chemicals at increased exposure risk.

As the demand for PFAS-free firefighting foam grew, there had been no way to know if these alternatives were safer for firefighters and the environment. In addition claims of PFAS-free were not certified. That is why the GreenScreen Certified® Firefighting Foam standard (version 1.0) was developed. However now we have expanded the product scope to include Class A foam concentrates used to suppress  wildfires, structural fires and other combustible materials such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber, and many plastics. Class A foams typically do not use PFAS but can contain many other toxic ingredients. In addition, there may be residual PFAS in the product which is why the same rigorous testing applies to these Class A products as well.

Version 2.0 of the Standard offers the same three levels of certification and uses a combination of GreenScreen scores, Restricted Substance List prohibitions, and analytical testing for acute aquatic toxicity and total organic fluorine. But now GreenScreen Certified® Standard (version 2.0) for Class A Foam Concentrates, Class B Foam Concentrates, Class A Wetting Agents and Class A&B Wetting Agents will help a wider group of purchasers to ensure the firefighting foam products they purchase have a much reduced chemical footprint. 

Learn more about the process of getting certified

Watch the recorded webinar

Download the Standard

Read the factsheet