Foam as an extinguishing agent
Foam extinguishing agents have been used for many years in fire fighting, e.g. in portable and mobile fire extinguishers. They are suitable for the following fire classes:
- Fire class A: Solid & organic substances (e.g. wood, paper, textiles)
- Fire class B: Liquid substances that become liquid (e.g. varnish, tar, petrol).
At the same time, foam extinguishing agents are characterised by high effectiveness, no (or only minor) extinguishing damage and no visual obstructions. As a result, they are suitable for interior rooms and electrical installations. However, foam extinguishing agents often contain poly- and perfluorinated chemicals. These are artificially produced fluorine compounds that are the subject of debate because of their harmful effects on the environment and health.
Effects of fluorine-containing foaming agents
Poly- and perfluorinated chemicals are very difficult or impossible to degrade in nature, because the chemically produced substances do not occur in the wild. At the same time, international studies show that fluorine-containing extinguishing agents have negative impacts on humans and the environment. For example, perfluorooctane sulfonic acids (PFOS for short) can accumulate in food and drinking water. Nevertheless, fire extinguishers containing fluorine are very widespread worldwide.
Because of this, the European Union has already issued a ban on placing perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS for short) on the market above a certain limit value. Furthermore, a complete abandonment or ban of extinguishing agents containing perfluorohexanoic acid is planned. In the future, it is expected that only fluorine-free fire extinguishers or fluorine-free foaming agents may be used.
Fluorine-free fire extinguishers
Fluorine-free fire extinguishers are an environmentally friendly solution. The fluorine-free foam agent is biodegradable and complies with European directives. The fluorine-free fire extinguisher from CWS does not contain any perfluorinated surfactants.
At the same time, the fluorine-free foam extinguishing agent does not lose any of its extinguishing performance and is still highly efficient.
Go for fluorine-free fire extinguishers now!
We already support you in the transition to your fluorine-free future. For this purpose, we offer you different variants of fluorine-free foam extinguishers, e.g. with impact head fitting or hand lever function.
Please contact us. Our experts will advise you on fluorine-free fire extinguishers without obligation.
Sustainability in fire protection
Sustainability has a high relevance for every company and is an elementary part of our corporate policy. For this reason, we already offer you environmentally friendly and yet highly efficient foam extinguishing agents. Our fluorine-free fire extinguishers do not contain any fluorine additives.
In this way, we are already fulfilling our joint responsibility for people and the environment. In addition, we are already creating legal certainty and guaranteeing an economic transition to fluorine-free fire extinguishers step by step.
Together with you, we will lead the way to a fluorine-free future. Contact us now.
Sustainability has a special significance at CWS. We would like to contribute to a safe and sustainable future with our solutions.
Thus, we are part of the enkelfähig initiative of our parent company Haniel.
Learn more about sustainability & enkelfähig.
