What Is AFFF and Why Is It Dangerous?
AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is a specialized firefighting agent designed to rapidly suppress hydrocarbon fuel fires — particularly crucial for aviation fuel fires at military bases, aircraft carriers, and civilian airports. It works by forming a thin film over burning fuel, cutting off its oxygen supply and preventing re-ignition.
AFFF was developed by the U.S. Navy and 3M in the 1960s and became the standard fire suppression tool at military installations, airports, chemical plants, and oil refineries. The problem: AFFF contains extremely high concentrations of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) and other PFAS "forever chemicals" — the same class of chemicals that don't break down in the environment and accumulate in the human body.
When AFFF is used in training exercises or emergency responses, it soaks into the ground. PFAS leaches through soil and into groundwater, contaminating wells and public water supplies for miles around. The chemicals remain in the soil and water for decades — or longer.
Who Is Affected by AFFF Contamination?
Military Veterans
Service members who trained with or responded to fires involving AFFF — particularly at Naval Air Stations, Air Force bases, Marine Corps installations, and Army airfields — may have experienced significant PFAS exposure. Exposure pathways included drinking contaminated base water, skin contact with foam during training, and inhalation of foam aerosols.
Military Families
Families living in on-base housing or in communities surrounding military installations may have consumed PFAS-contaminated water for years or decades without knowing it. Children in these communities faced exposure during critical developmental periods.
Career and Volunteer Firefighters
Firefighters at airports, industrial facilities, and military installations used AFFF routinely. Fire training academies conducted live-fire exercises using AFFF, exposing trainees repeatedly. Many firefighters had direct skin contact with foam and inhaled foam aerosols.
In addition to AFFF exposure, firefighter turnout gear (protective clothing) has also been found to contain PFAS in the fabric treatment — adding another exposure pathway.
Airport Workers and Nearby Communities
Commercial airports are required by the FAA to have AFFF-based fire suppression systems. Airport firefighters, ground crews, and communities near airports with AFFF test sites have experienced exposure.
Health Conditions Linked to AFFF/PFAS Exposure
Studies of firefighters and communities near AFFF-contaminated sites have found elevated rates of:
- Kidney cancer — Among the most strongly documented AFFF-related cancers
- Testicular cancer — Particularly prevalent in younger male firefighters and veterans
- Bladder cancer — Strong associations in occupational firefighter studies
- Thyroid disease and thyroid cancer
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Prostate cancer
- Ulcerative colitis
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has called AFFF exposure a major contributor to the elevated cancer rates seen in the firefighter population. Studies consistently show firefighters have cancer rates approximately 14% higher than the general population.
The AFFF MDL: Multidistrict Litigation
Federal AFFF product liability cases have been consolidated in MDL 2873 in the District of South Carolina before Judge Richard M. Gergel. The MDL has separate litigation tracks for:
- Municipal water utilities — Seeking costs to filter PFAS from contaminated supplies (largely resolved by 3M and DuPont settlements)
- Personal injury claims — Individual plaintiffs with PFAS-related cancers and diseases
- State government claims — States seeking PFAS cleanup costs
As of early 2026, personal injury cases are actively proceeding through discovery and bellwether trial preparation. The 3M and DuPont water utility settlements did NOT resolve personal injury claims. Individual plaintiffs must file their own claims.
Key Defendant: 3M Company
3M was the primary manufacturer of PFOS-based AFFF for military and civilian use for decades. 3M's own internal research in the 1970s showed PFOS was accumulating in human blood globally — including in the blood of people who had no known contact with their products. Despite this, 3M continued manufacturing and selling PFOS-based AFFF to the military and civilian markets until 2003.
3M's AFFF was sold under the brand name "Light Water" and other names. The Department of Defense purchased billions of dollars of 3M AFFF over multiple decades.
Other AFFF Manufacturers
While 3M is the largest defendant, other AFFF manufacturers named in litigation include:
- National Foam (now owned by Kidde)
- Chemguard (now owned by Carrier Global)
- Angus Fire
- Buckeye Fire Equipment
- Amerex
AFFF vs. Camp Lejeune: Important Distinction
Many veterans and military families confuse AFFF-related PFAS claims with Camp Lejeune claims. These are separate legal avenues:
- Camp Lejeune Claims: Involve contamination at Camp Lejeune, NC from 1953–1987 from different chemicals (primarily benzene, TCE, PCE — not just PFAS). Filed under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 through the Department of the Navy.
- AFFF/PFAS Claims: Involve PFAS contamination from AFFF use at any military installation. Filed as civil lawsuits against AFFF manufacturers (3M, Chemguard, etc.) in the AFFF MDL.
It is possible to have both a Camp Lejeune claim AND an AFFF/PFAS claim if you were at Lejeune AND served at a base with AFFF contamination. Consult an attorney to evaluate both.
Do I Qualify for an AFFF Lawsuit?
You may have a strong AFFF claim if:
- You served at or near a military base where AFFF was used in training or firefighting
- You worked as a firefighter (career or volunteer) with documented AFFF foam use
- You lived in base housing or a community near a contaminated military installation
- You developed kidney cancer, testicular cancer, bladder cancer, thyroid disease, or another qualifying condition
- Your claim is within your state's statute of limitations
Also see our dedicated page on military base PFAS contamination.