New partnership with 3F to deliver fluorine free foam
As part of our commitment to protecting people, property and the environment, Wormald is pleased to announce an exclusive partnership with 3F, a business that is leading the world in the development of efficient and environmentally friendly fire fighting foams and equipment.
With its fluorine free and solvent-free formula, 3F is recognised globally for its industry innovation and expertise in ecological products that do not use fluorine compounds.
We have been expanding our range of Fluorine Free Foam products in response to global concerns about the environmental impact of Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFFs). Many AFFFs contain fluorinated surfactants such as PFOA and PFOS, part of a broader group of chemicals called PFAS substances, have been identified as having adverse impacts on the environment.
The use of solvents in fire-fighting foams represents risks to the environment due to their significant organic load composition. This means solvent-containing foams have a high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) that can overload water treatment plants or, if released into a river or lake, contribute to the phenomenon of asphyxiation resulting in oxygen consumption.
Removing solvents reduces COD by up to 75 per cent, resulting in foam that provides a higher level of environmental protection compared to others. We are thrilled to be able to offer our customers 3F’s Freedol SF, a fluorine and solvent free foam agent that has a significantly lower COD when compared to typical AFFF’s.
The Freedol SF product complies with Queensland’s Fire Fighting Foam policy announced in 2016 by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, which requires full compliance by July 6, 2019, and the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015 recently amended by the South Australian Government.
The Wormald fluorine-free foam vehicle suppression system is approved by Global-Mark and meets the performance requirements of the revised Australian Standard for vehicle fire protection AS5062 – 2016.
Existing AFFF systems can be easily upgraded to use 3F’s Fluorine Free and Solvent Free foam through a minor modification that includes changes to the proportioners or an increase in vehicle system cylinder pressure. The new concentrates are essentially ‘drop in’ replacements for previous vehicle suppression system solutions containing fluorine, which simplifies the conversion process for existing customers, and also addresses manual handling and safe work practices aboard machinery and vehicles.
If you would like more information about our sustainable fire suppression solutions, changes to legislation in Queensland and South Australia and how this affects your business, visit our dedicated pagew ww.wormald.com.au/fff or call us on 133 166.