Industry alternatives to PFAS and AFFF: A push for safer rail practices

A better understanding of available alternatives and how labor organizations can promote their adoption will help protect current workers from the exposure risks they suffered in the past.

Fluorine-free foams: The leading AFFF replacement

Fluorine-free foam is the most widely recognized alternative to traditional PFAS-based AFFF. No PFAS chemicals are contained in these products, and they are designed to suppress liquid fires without the harmful effects of PFAS. Fluorine-free foams use hydrocarbon surfactant mixtures and other non-fluorinated agents.

Airports, industrial operators, and fire departments worldwide have already switched from legacy AFFF products to these PFAS-free foams. Several formulations meet international firefighting foam standards, including EN 1568, which is required for effective suppression of liquid fuel fires without using PFAS. In most railroad applications, fluorine-free foams are as effective as or better than PFAS-containing foams.

Fluorine-free foams biodegrade more readily and do not leave long-lasting toxic residues in soil and water like PFAS-based foams do. They greatly reduce the risk of chronic contamination around rail yards and emergency response training sites where firefighting foams are used. For railroad workers, this means ending the cycle of exposure that has led to cancer and chronic illness in thousands of employees.

Research and development support for PFAS-free technologies

Research initiatives, such as the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), are evaluating many PFAS-free fire suppression technologies. Research projects currently explore PFAS-free drainage systems, high-expansion foams, trench nozzles, and water mist technologies as alternatives or supplements to foam.

A new performance standard (MILSPEC) by the U.S. Department of Defense allows fluorine-free firefighting products to compete with legacy AFFFs. Products that are PFAS-free are now able to meet stringent safety and performance requirements that had previously been considered mandatory for fluorinated products.

Alternatives to PFAS in lubricants and hydraulic systems

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports that PFAS are used in lubricants and hydraulic oils to enhance properties like temperature resistance and corrosion inhibition, but direct replacements are difficult to find. It remains challenging to replace PFAS-based lubricants, like perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs), at extreme temperatures and pressures.

Because PFAS provide unique performance characteristics, industries are exploring multiple alternative formulations and materials, including graphite, boron nitride, and high-performance plastics, rather than one substitute that meets all properties. Alternatives to PFAS have potential in some sectors, but engineers and manufacturers need to adapt them to meet their application requirements.

Beyond PFAS alternatives in classic lubricants, emerging research on water-based and nanoparticle additives suggests new avenues for environmentally friendly lubrication that could reduce reliance on fluorochemicals. Scientific studies have developed nano-silica-based aqueous colloidal gels with very low friction and wear properties, a direction that could inspire future industrial fluid formulations.

Global regulation driving adoption of alternatives

The move away from PFAS continues to be accelerated by regulatory action. A ban on PFAS in firefighting foams by the European Union aims to eliminate the use of PFAS foams in many industrial and municipal applications by 2025 to 2035. PFAS firefighting foam should be replaced with certified PFAS-free alternatives, including documentation of PFAS-free products and compatibility with existing systems, according to Australian and New South Wales environmental agencies.

As a result of these regulations, industries, including rail operations, must take certain steps in the future in order to comply with the requirements related to PFAS exposure and contamination. The scientific evidence linking PFAS to worker illness continues to mount, increasing liability risks for railroad companies that delay implementing alternatives.

How unions and industry leaders can drive change

Railroad unions and safety advocacy groups can play determining roles in adopting PFAS alternatives. In rail yards and maintenance facilities, unions can advocate for the use of foams and fire suppression technologies that are free of PFAS. Participating in safety standard committees can help ensure worker health and environmental sustainability.

Worker groups can encourage training on PFAS-free fire response and suppression methods, helping crews understand how alternatives perform in real emergencies. The railroad industry has the opportunity to cooperate with SERDP, the Department of Defense, and university laboratories to pilot and validate safer technologies.

Employers and unions can influence purchasing decisions by specifying PFAS-free criteria for firefighting foams and related safety equipment. Markets are created when manufacturers invest in safer alternatives in response to institutional demands for safer alternatives.

ELG Law provides assistance to railroad workers harmed by PFAS

While railroad workers continue to suffer health effects from decades of exposure to PFAS, the industry is transitioning to safer alternatives. Over the past 35 years, the Environmental Litigation Group has represented families in toxic exposure cases. For information about filing a FELA claim if you developed cancer or chronic illness after exposure to AFFF while working on railroads, please contact us with your employment records and medical documentation.