The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has built a fire research facility in Atlantic City, N.J., that will enable them to test new fire extinguishing agents indoors, in the hope of phasing out fluorinated products.
Construction cost $5 million but has left the FAA with a 2,500 square foot new facility that will allow them to remove weather-related variables during testing. Additionally, the administration has touted the environmental benefits of the facility, as it will enable any chemical byproducts to be contained and gathered without any contamination of the surrounding area or groundwater. This, in turn, will give the FAA the ability to test more frequently and efficiently.
While the current firefighting foam is highly effective against jet fuel fires, the FAA cited its concerning environmental and health impacts, owing to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — better known as PFAS — in the substances. PFAS chemicals, while a standard in many industries in previous decades, are now known to cause adverse health effects in those exposed to them, including liver damage, decreased fertility, and cancer. They have been in the news numerous times in recent years as many states struggle with their cleanup, following realization of contamination.
As to the new FAA facility, construction began in November 2018 and concluded last month. Researchers begin testing this month.