Delta Air Lines says it needs more time to ditch toxic PFAS firefighting foam at MSP

By Chloe Johnson and Brooks Johnson | The Minnesota Star Tribune | October 23, 2024

Read the full article by Chloe Johnson and  Brooks Johnson (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

"Airports and airlines across Minnesota have to find a new way to put out fires, as the firefighting foams they rely on to snuff dangerous fuel blazes are being phased out.

For decades, airfields, oil refineries and military sites have used chemical foams to extinguish fires. But these products contain PFAS — a class of chemicals that have been linked to some cancers and that have widely polluted the environment. They have seeped into groundwater in many places where they have been used, including under Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport.

A new state law makes State Fire Marshal Daniel Krier responsible for setting the deadline when airports have to switch to a safer fire suppressant. But MSP’s largest carrier — Delta Air Lines — has already warned that it may need extra time."

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• SourcesAirports
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses