House Bill 570, the Responsible Firefighting Foam Management Act, would prohibit the use of Class B firefighting foams containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals for training or practice by any person, local government, or state agency. It also restricts their use for testing unless required by law or by an authority having jurisdiction, and only if the testing facility has containment, treatment, and disposal measures in place to prevent environmental releases. The bill directs that non-fluorinated training foams, such as synthetic fluorine free foam, or other non-fluorinated surrogates be used for firefighting training, and that training be conducted in conditions that allow collection of spent foam regardless of foam type.
The bill amends Chapter 143, Article 21A of the North Carolina General Statutes by adding a new Part 8, creating definitions for Class B firefighting foam, fixed systems, PFAS chemicals, testing, and testing facilities. It authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to adopt rules to implement the new requirements. The act would take effect December 1, 2025, and would therefore change state law governing firefighting foam use, especially for fire departments, training facilities, and public agencies that handle foam for non-emergency purposes.
The overall sentiment reflected in the available record is strongly favorable. The bill passed second reading in the House unanimously, 113-0, suggesting broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition at that stage. The bill’s findings frame the measure as a public health and environmental protection response to PFAS contamination, with particular concern for drinking water, cancer risk, and firefighter exposure.
Notable points of contention are limited in the available materials, but the bill draws a distinction between training/testing uses and emergency firefighting uses. The text acknowledges that PFAS-containing AFFF may still be more effective for petroleum-type fires, which suggests the bill is aimed at reducing unnecessary exposure rather than banning all operational use. Any practical concerns would likely center on compliance costs, availability of alternatives, containment requirements for testing, and how the State Fire Marshal’s rules will be implemented.
This bill would add new restrictions to North Carolina law governing firefighting foam by prohibiting the discharge of PFAS-containing Class B foam for training or practice and limiting its use for testing. It would require non-fluorinated alternatives for training and impose environmental containment and disposal safeguards for any permitted testing. The measure would directly affect fire departments, local governments, state agencies, training academies, and testing facilities that use or store Class B foam, while giving the Office of the State Fire Marshal rulemaking authority to implement the new part of Chapter 143.
The available legislative record shows clear support for the bill, with a unanimous 113-0 House second-reading vote and no committee transcript indicating opposition. The bill is framed as a health and environmental protection measure addressing PFAS contamination and firefighter exposure, which likely contributed to its favorable reception. No recorded dissent appears in the provided materials.
The main policy tension in the bill is between reducing PFAS exposure and preserving the effectiveness of firefighting operations. The bill allows that PFAS-based AFFF may still be used in some emergency contexts because it can be more effective for petroleum fires, but it seeks to eliminate routine training and testing uses where safer substitutes exist. Potential points of contention include whether non-fluorinated foams are adequate for all training needs, the cost and logistics of switching to alternatives, and the feasibility of containment and disposal requirements at testing facilities. No specific opponents are identified in the provided record.