San Francisco bans PFAS from firefighter gear to combat cancer risk

May 24, 2024

Read the full article by EHN 

"San Francisco has become the first major U.S. city to ban PFAS chemicals from its firefighters' protective gear, aiming to reduce the elevated cancer risk among firefighters.

Susan Shain reports for High Country News.

In short:

• Firefighters face a higher cancer risk, with PFAS in their gear contributing significantly.
• San Francisco's new ordinance mandates PFAS-free gear by June 2026 at a cost of $10.1 million.
• Other cities like Vancouver and Concord have made similar commitments, with new gear receiving positive feedback."

Location:

• North AmericaUS
• North AmericaUSCalifornia

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• Environment
• Wildlife
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses